Unbroken Promise, And A Place To Return
by rustyfeed
Summary: Given another chance to breathe back from the world, a semi-amnesiac warrior named Trine sets off to find the astral fissures and harness its power to survive, and to connect puzzle pieces that answers who she truly is. Full Summary inside. "Clean" Version. The original version is in Ao3 with the same name.
1. A Second Chance With A Price

**_The following story will contain spoilers from Libra of Souls._**

**_Summary: _**_Given another chance to breathe back from the world, a semi-amnesiac warrior named Trine sets off to find the astral fissures and harness its power to survive, and to connect puzzle pieces that answers who she truly is. What lies deep inside her chest was her will to continue living; a song to sing to celebrate her return, and to return to someone she held dear, yet with her state of mind, any traces of his identity was lost within._

* * *

_The ray of light from the Evil Seed pierced the sky, its glow reaching as far as India. And here we find another person whose fate was entwined with the two swords… - Libra of Souls_

Her conscience awakened. Slowly, the chilly air brushed past her. It was so cold, but it didn't make her shiver. The unpleasant scent of rusty iron and steel wafted through her as strange sound emerged from where she was. She tried to speak, but she couldn't feel her jaw moving. That was when she also realized her vision was only filled with darkness.

Wherever she was, the place was constantly rumbling from a quake. She must had lost her vision, or the place she was in was in total blackness, but she knew it wasn't empty. The smell of faint dirt and rust was empowering for an area covered in darkness. She felt like as if she was floating from air…

"Consumed by Evil Seed, yet still the presence of mind… A link between chaos and this world…"

Who was that? Where was he? She tried to find the source of the voice, but she stay glued on where she was. There was nothing that bound her arms, no constriction that coiled her body. No matter how hard she lift her leg to step forward, to swing her arm as she moved, it was like her body was detached from her. There was no sign of movement from her, even if she used her mind to command her body to turn around. She tried her might, but it was like she was part of air.

Fear has reeled inside her, evoking a sense of dread. What if she was just, in fact, an active strain of thought? What if she was indeed binded by the cold, rustic metals that made her skin shiver, but the parts that sent signals to her body were destroyed?

Lost in an empty world, the sound of rumbles and hums, the chilly air that blew past her, and the unpleasant stench of decaying material was the sign she was alive, she was conscious.

"You are quite the interesting one."

The man's voice sounded amuse, but what for? Could he saw her struggles? Or could he read her thoughts? See it even, perhaps?

Was he the one that summoned her here?

Taking a moment to contemplate all of this, she realized she classified herself as a female. Her mind treats her as a woman. Was she a floating soul in an unknown place, waiting for her life to diminish and experience pain one last time? An ignited, weak flame that struggles to keep burning and burning and never ran out of fuel? Or a dying woman on the ground of a deserted area with broken bones and nerves, unable to feel pain and lost her ability to see?

It was pointless to ask where she was. If she was indeed a lost soul who found a way to awakened her conscience, and not a resurrected, disabled woman with no hope to live further, then why did this even happened? Why was her soul awakened?

The male voice spoke again after she was unable to produce any answer for herself.

"Even if you managed to regain your senses, you will eventually succumb to the chaos," He paused, giving her a brief moments to react, "But there is a small glimmer of hope. You must engrave a clear image of yourself onto your soul."

A clear image of herself?

Who… was she?

* * *

_Even if we're lost, no matter how many times... This dream, this place, I want to return to it _

It was what she sang to the silhouette. It was a tall shadow, and yet she was familiar with how the figure looked like. Her hand reached up and traced her dainty fingers on the figure's face. She felt something sturdy before trailing down to a softer surface. This must be the figure's cheek. Blinking, the perspective shifted on a woman, with long, scarlet hair that cascaded down her back and her short bangs obscuring her smooth forehead. Her face was warm and soft, her lips curled in a comforting smile.

Another flash of darkness, and her vision was in another angle. The woman was standing in front of the shadowy figure. Her eyes lingered on the figure's face. She could see her physique, but not the figure covered in darkness. A hint of muscles protrude from her body, and faint scars smeared her exposed skin. The woman was clad in a scarlet outfit while her hand gripped on two blades connected by its hilt.

The figure spoke, but it was gibberish. The tone was deep, bold and masculine, a clear sign of the figure being a man, but there was nothing more to take note of. The woman's response was audible, her voice filled with determination. "When I come back, I'll join you on your missions after proving I'd become stronger."

Her vision was slowly became filled with light. This must be the end of what she was currently experiencing. Were this some traces of memories left inside her mind, if this wasn't a sweet hallucination?

She could see his hand reaching up to cupped hers, the figure's voice above whisper, but this time, his words were clear.

"Promise me you'll come back, Trine."

* * *

When she opened her eyes, she was greeted with an extraordinary sight. The rumbles were still the same, and the voice that was talking was nowhere to be found. There were various pieces of buildings that she couldn't make out of, and at the center of it all was a blue, swirling light that consumed any unfortunate object that came near it.

"If you can keep a hold of who you are, you will be able to stave off the chaos."

...That's right.

The vision she saw earlier was in fact real. That was one of her final moments before she ended up here. Whatever ended her life before, it was linked to being exposed to the Evil Seed. Maybe she fought someone and lost her life that way, or maybe something else entirely. But what was important was she had some information about herself.

Her name was Trine. She was on a journey, and promised someone to come back and join them one day. Whatever her journey was, it was to gain more strength. She could sing a song that was dear in her heart, but its title unknown. She thought harder for more traces of memories, but it bear no fruit. This whole ordeal must had locked her memories, and it was up to her to find them one by one.

Given another chance to breathe life, she wouldn't let this opportunity pass. There must be a purpose of her second chance, and she will fulfill it.

"Now arise, take up your weapon, and fight." His voice stirred confidence inside her. She was ready to press on. "Your life depends on it."

A weapon… Trine recalled the blade she held at the time she was talking to a figure. It was a twin ruby blade, big and light enough to be wielded by one hand. It had a hideous appearance, its sinister tinge of red unfitting for her warm scarlet hues that colors her costume. To be able to wield that grotesque blade, she must had been worthy of using it.

The weapon she'd been thinking of floated in front of her in arm's reach. Trine reached up and took it, and with a deep breath, slashed the blade sideward on air. There was a mechanism that could separate the weapon into two, and like glued on her muscle memory, she separated the sword with ease. She spun around and swung her arms, trying to recall her fighting style. Everything was smooth for her, her body moved on its own as she had no problem swinging her weapon. The woman couldn't recall who taught her the skills of handling her dual sabers nor the name of her fighting style, but if that's what how she fought, she would stick with it. She connected the tip of the hilt of the swords, transforming it into one.

A strange noise emerged from her surroundings, stopping her from her tracks. Before she could think any further, everything went white.

* * *

Notes:

As this fanfiction novelization will be canon-divergent, the Conduit's personal weapon will be Scharfrichter, one of Groh's equippable weapons. It will be used throughout this story instead of the equippable ones in the game's mechanic.

With that, the Conduit's fighting style will be locked only to Groh's fighting style, the Aval's dual-swordsmanship.

The Conduit's costume will not be the one provided in Libra of Souls. I personally think having a unique outfit will distinguish this with the other created fighters from other people.

And yes, the Conduit I featured here and Groh will end up together.


	2. What Lies Ahead Was A Journey

She was greeted with a grim event. The strong odor of blood wafted through her nose. Various cries and roars bombarded her eardrums. The clash of steel and the sickening screams of agony snapped her senses. What was used to be a humble marketplace filled with lively folks from all over the country were massacred within a place filled with dying light. Brave warriors and soldiers valiantly fought the formidable foe, but all was for naught and their lives lost in vain. The enemy with two swords defeated them with ease.

In a blink of an eye, her scenery changed. There were no more homes destroyed, no more dead bodies littering the ground. What was in front of her was a strange swirling light, beckoning her to come closer. The mixture of colors piqued her interest, forming a different hues of red, blue, orange and yellow blended together that accentuated the colors of the light. She felt her legs moving on its own, sauntering towards the captivating sight. When she closed her eyes and opened them again, the colorful light was gone. Her relaxed composure was replaced with alarming goosebumps all over her body.

It was a large sword, and not an ordinary one. It has one eye on the blade, with veiny roots surrounding it. Its eyes moved and stared through her soul. The sword wanted something, something she couldn't give up. Its desires made her heart thumped and her palms sweaty.

The sword wanted her soul.

* * *

"NO!"

Trine jolted awake from her unpleasant dream. Her eyes were wide open as she panted for oxygen, her body shaking uncontrollably.

It was just a dream… A hellish nightmare… That was what she assured herself.

Breathing deeply, she stood up and tried to calm herself down. A strong headache reverberated inside her skull, her heartbeat hammered inside her chest as she still couldn't stop trembling from fear. She tried to massage her temples with her hands, a feeble attempt to help herself relax.

That dream was her worst nightmare. If she ever encountered that sword, there was no doubt she would freeze in fear.

Trine shook her head, ignoring the constant pounding of her head and glanced at the scenery. She was inside a forest of some sort, the branches were thin and the leaves were dry. The air was chilly, and the place was dead quiet. There was no sign of cicadas singing from the sky above. She realized she had an iron grip on the hilt of her weapon.

Was the world already dead, and she was one of the few survivors of this hellhole? There was no point asking questions that had no answers.

"You're finally awake. It seems you had quite the nightmare."

That voice! Trine spun around towards the direction of the voice. She was greeted by a man standing by her side. He wore a hooded cape that didn't hide his face from view. Its faint yellow-white garb contrasted with his dark skin, and a yellow light glowed on his left eye. As she gazed further into his eyes, she could see the strong will that burns within.

"You're that voice from before."

The mysterious man didn't flinch at her words, his face remained stoic. "My name is Zasalamel, and I know what's happened to you."

"What?" The tips of her hair rose from her skin, her eyes wide from shock. This guy didn't beat around the bush, and his eyes didn't flicker. Her guts told her to let him speak and listen quietly.

"You were greatly affected by the Evil Seed. You escaped becoming a malfested, but I'm afraid you may not escape death."

She stayed quiet, but she couldn't hide her shaky breath. Evil Seed? Becoming a malfested? Was this the source of her nightmare? She glanced back at him, and she received a curt nod. It seemed like he was willing to give her more information if she asked.

"What _is _a malfested?" She spoke slowly as her lips quivered from fear, the strain of her voice evident from every stress on her syllable. The pounding of her head never ceased, but it didn't deter her focus away from listening to his answer.

"They are beings whose bodies and minds have been twisted by evil. Symptoms vary, but some are known to become monsters."

It didn't seem like anything has changed within her. She still needed oxygen to breathe, her vision was clear, and aside from the headache, she was fine. A quick glance to her pale hand showed no sign of alteration.

"Many malfested lose all sense of reason, become violent, and attack people. Luckily for you, fate put you on a different path."

Trine remembered Zasalamel's words. She escaped turning into a malfested. Was it truly fate that altered her end, or was there something more into this? His silence was indication for another question.

"You talked about me being exposed to the Evil Seed. Can you tell me more about it?"

"The Evil Seed is a great evil that burst forth from Western Europe as a torrent of light and rained down around the world."

A torrent of light, raining down to the unsuspecting people… Trine swallowed the lump on her throat. At the corner of her head, there was something that tugged at her to remember it, but the headache was too much to bear to think about it now. Speaking of the headache…

"Do you have any idea about the nightmare I had just now? Was it part of my repressed memories? Is my ongoing pain ever going to stop?" She didn't mean to raise her voice, but the headache was getting too much to bear.

Zasalamel only stared at her. His eyes roamed, observing if there was a hint of malfestation occuring on her body. There were faded scars on her exposed skin, but nothing that could raise his alarm. His eyes blinked. "Your body does not appear to have been altered by the Evil Seed."

Trine breathed a sigh of relief, thanking the gods above for a good news.

"However," He broke her moment of respite, "It seems to have affected your soul, linking it to to what is called the Astral Chaos."

She stared at him with disbelief. Her physical appearance may be safe, but her soul wasn't. "Astral Chaos…?"

"The Astral Chaos is a curious realm where great powers collide. In time, it will consume your soul, resulting in your death. Your nightmare and headache are a sign of what is to come."

Oh. Of course… She wasn't just reborn to fulfill a mission. Her side-effects will test her will, but she wouldn't let it get to her.

Trine wanted to live. She wanted to fulfill her promise. The promise of coming back and joining him on his organization… And possibly get engaged and be wed.

Trine felt her cheeks flushed pink. What she felt for that man was strong.

"If you wish to continue living, come with me. I will teach you how to extend your life." Zasalamel ignored her flustered state after being startled by his words.

She stared at him with knotted brows. It was like he could read her like a book…

But if there was a chance to to continue on, she would take it. Anything for the man she will come back for.

"Please, teach me the ways of prolonging my life."

* * *

Trine followed Zasalamel as they ventured further into the forest. Silence enveloped the pair, their distance a few feet apart. Only the crunches of the leaves was the noise that held her sanity in check.

Her mind drifted back to the Evil Seed raining down all over the country. What if that was what happened when she was on her journey, and it caused her demise when she made contact with it? But there was something that wanted to get out from the part of her head, something that wanted to be recalled and remembered. Unfortunately for her, Trine couldn't focus on unlocking it because of her headache, and if she ever lost her step, she would be separated from Zasalamel.

As they kept walking forward, the woman noticed something different. What lies ahead was something she couldn't conceived. The air started to stifle and blew harder in their direction. Every step she took required more strength than the last. Trine huffed and grunted, her arms shielding her eyes from the blow of the wind. She saw Zasalamel moving without any sign of discomfort.

Reaching their destination, the woman saw something that was beyond what she could imagine right now. The eerie forest was no more, and the source of the wind came from what she was seeing right now. A short gasp escaped her lips.

Zasalamel pointed his finger at the swirling light. "That is an astral fissure, a rip in space and time. It is caused by the great power that flows through the Earth and evil dispersed by the Evil Seed." He turned his head to spare a glance at the woman, then back at the view ahead. "To continue living, you will need to obtain the power of the astral fissure."

Obtain it? How? Her brow creased, her gaze lingering on the myriad of colors.

"Naturally, it is easier said than done." It was like he read her thoughts again. "Astral fissures exude a massive amount of force that will either destroy anyone weak who dares approach it, or turn into a malfested."

Trine nodded, no words forming to respond to him.

"However, when someone with great power approaches…" He paused.

Trine frowned at him, but surveyed the astral fissures instead. Suddenly, a flash of light emerged, and a figure came out. The man looked like a fighter, but there was something wrong with his appearance. His eyes glew bright red, and his pupils were missing. A monstrous growl escaped his throat, and Trine felt her stomach drop.

This man… He was a malfested, right?

"Don't just stand there surprised." Zasalamel snapped her out from her trance. "It looks like you've got a fight on your hands."

Startled, Trine gripped tightly on the hilt of her blade, ready to battle her opponent.

The enemy snarled, and charged in her direction. His arms raised, sword pointing toward the sky to strike her down. The malfested roared and swung his arms down, but his sword collided with the ground instead. Trine sidestepped in time and delivered her own blow, two sideward slashes of her weapon. Her enemy staggered, and she took a step forward to continue her assault. Trine twisted her body to delivery another slash on her enemy's torso, then turned her body on the opposite direction, cutting through the opponent's armored chest.

Giving no time of recovery, Trine jumped and bashed her blade on the opponent's head. The malfested grunted and was soon flung into the air when she struck her weapon upward. She felt her lips curl into a smirk. This was a formidable foe, not an ordinary man, but she battled him without breaking a sweat. Her sword techniques was like a part of her, her body moves on its own without much thought on what to do next.

Her opponent's anger was more and more apparent with his screams growing louder. It was the vulnerability she needed to deliver more slashes of her now-separated dual blades. "Unleash, Scharfrichter!"

The attacker fell to the ground, defeated. Trine took a deep breath, then witnessed another unordinary sight. Her opponent's body burst into particles of light, swirling and twinkling before fading from view.

Was this her fate if she concedes defeat?

"The opponent you battled are berserkers. They appear when the strong approach an astral fissure, perhaps in response to their power."

In response of her power, huh… Trine sheathed her dual sabers and placed it back on her hip.

"So there are different types of malfested?"

"Correct."

She thought about what words to construct to ask her question. "Why do berserkers appear and desire to fight?"

"Berserkers come from the memories of warriors who sought strength. To defeat them, you must simply must be stronger, there is no other way."

"How cruel…" Trine glanced down at the area where the berserker faded. To think they once had a life, and then turned into this hideous creatures that wants nothing but strength and blood… She didn't want to end up like them.

"You can obtain phenomenal power from the fissure, which will enable you to continue living and provide resistance to Astral Chaos's attempt to devour your soul."

She wondered if there would be more than enough fissures to provide her life support for a selfish wish to stay alive. If the astral fissure was located on a town filled with people, she could also save them from becoming malfested by shutting it down for good. Providing help and comfort to people felt like second nature to her, and she had no plans of changing that.

"If you can withstand the Astral Chaos, you will no longer have fear for your life."

"I see." Trine glanced back on the swirling light ahead. With this, she would be able to live longer and never had to worry about her soul being consumed by the Evil Seed.

"Now, claim your power from the astral fissure."

With his encouraging tone, Trine could only think one way of get the power of the fissure. She thrusted her arms into the astral fissure, her fists clenched after half of her arms were engulfed by the swirling light. Her teeth clenched as a surge of light burst forth, lighting through her arms and through her whole body.

She felt her condition worsened. Her heart pounded as her body temperature rose from high fever. She felt her vision spin, before everything went white.

It felt like hours, but it only lasted a second or two. Rapidly blinking, her surroundings returned to the eerily quiet forest that held no single form of life. Trine shook her head to get a grip of herself, the throbbing headache lessened.

"As long as the scattered evil and the earth's power remain, astral fissures will continue to appear."

More and more people will suffer a cruel fate. She must rid of its existence.

"I hear that there is another astral fissure on the outskirts of a village to the southeast. That is all I can tell you."

So they were somewhere on the west coast of Indian subcontinent. The locations shouldn't change.

But if he was only providing her the location… "Wait, you're not coming?"

"I'd already done my part. The rest will be up to you." His face remained stoic, but the nod of his head showed compassion.

"I see. Thank you very much for your help, Zasalamel." Trine gave him a small bow.

"Before you go, take this." Zasalamel held out his hand and revealed a set of scales. On top of the scales were two types of flames, one blue and one red. "These are the "spirit scales", otherwise known as the Libra of Soul. Take them."

The woman slowly took the set of scales from him.

"Your body is overflowing with energy from the Astral Chaos. It is the power of chaos, and of order. The state of your soul will determine which power you draw from. This scales will reveal to you which way your soul is leaning. It should help you to maintain control."

"I'll keep this in mind." Trine stored it on her side pack. "Thanks again for your help, Zasalamel, for giving me another chance to live." Her lips formed a small smile.

"Think nothing of it. I am merely doing what I must do." His face remained stoic. "Now, you must embark on a journey to save your life. So long."

With a small wave, Trine pressed on, engraving the information he got from Zasalamel in mind. All she had to do was to get the powers of the fissure and fight off her nightmare. In his words, it was easier said than done. The berserker she would encounter in the future would be stronger than the last, and she would be prepared to be one step ahead from the opponent to win.

* * *

Trine settled to rest at a cheap inn after a long walk from the forest. She stopped by on a nearby town to prepare herself for the harsh journey ahead. What she needed were food, water, and items to help her sleep at night. Inside the waiting room, she sat alone on the bench. The woman decided to spend her time listening to the conversations of people around her, taking mental notes for information about the astral fissures or something else that could help her journey tremendously.

"Have you visited the dojo not far from here?" An excitable man asked to his companion at his side.

"No, not yet. What made you ask me that?" His companion responded with amusement. "I'm confident with my techniques already."

"You _need_ to visit it, trust me!" He rose from his seat, unable to contain his excitement. This man forgot they were in a public area. "It's currently ran by Drona! You know him, right?!"

"Well, yeah, of course!" His companion released a hearty chuckle. "He's a respectable man. He knows a lot about martial arts, and a good instructor as well. I heard my friend trained under him for many months now, and day by day he just grow stronger."

"Right! So you _have_ to visit it!"

The companion shook his head and waved his hand, telling him to sit down. "Alright. Tomorrow morning, we will head there. Right now, we need to rest."

It should be a great idea to visit this dojo herself. Even though she was skilled enough with her twinblade-swordsmanship skills, she wouldn't grow stronger by just relying on strength alone. She also need a refresher on training her mind and body on the preparation to fight, and this was a good chance to do it.

Trine stayed longer, but there was nothing more to take note of. She only listened to stay out from boredom. When the clock ticks eight, she rose from her seat and retreated to her room.

Her thoughts drifted back on the Evil Seed raining down on the whole world. Shutting the door behind her, she untied the strings that binded her boots together and peeled it off. She placed her boots near the door and walked towards the comfort of the bed. Sighing, Trine focused on delving deeper on this thought, the possibility of being exposed to the Evil Seed.

Zasalamel's words echoed inside her head. She was exposed from the Evil Seed, but there was no answer on how and why. Barely recalling who she truly was, Trine laid down and pulled the sheet over her body, her eyes wide open and staring at the ceiling.

Few minutes of just staring blankly at the view above, nothing happened. Trine released a breath, then closed her eyes. If she take a rest now, the headache may subside.

Her mind thought back about the part of her head that wanted to be explored. Feeling slightly better from absorbing the power of the fissure, she concentrated on recalling anything, but all it did was put her into a quiet slumber.

* * *

Burning houses. Cries of fear and agony. Clashes of steel rang across the room. Hideous growls and snarls swallowed the screams of misery and death. She saw a young man defending a group of people from the ravage beasts, who were formerly human. They looked like malfested, with glowing red eyes and pale gray skin.

Trine felt her throat constricted. She, too, was clashing against a tall man who lost his humanity. The gentle, welcoming smile of the man was replaced with a savage grin and a loathing stare from his glowing red eyes. This man was… her musings were disrupted when the malfested man laughed grimly. Trine quickly sidestepped to the left to evade the overhead strike of his longsword, and spun around to collide her knee against his abdomen. She distanced herself from her enemy with a ragged breath.

This was the man who helped his father on sailing the seas. Quickly surveying the area she was in shows littered bodies of the malfested and the victims. She didn't see a dead body of her family, but that didn't mean they were safe from turning into malfested.

Trine heard her enemy growl as he charged forward. Short in time to dodge, she raised her sword as a shield, bracing for impact. She was confident she could take the blow and counter-attack. Unfortunately, it didn't go as planned. The tall man's strength was too much for her steel blade to take as it broke in half. Trine cried out in pain when the sharp edge cut through her palm, droplets of fresh blood falling to the ground. Vulnerable to attacks, she was blown back from his sword slamming against her torso. She landed against the wall with a painful grunt.

Damn it, she couldn't fight anymore..

She saw the sword aiming towards her torso. She quickly rolled to the right to escape her fate, and ran as fast as she could. She had to find someone that could help her, or another sword she could use to fight again.

"Trine!"

She rushed to the right and ducked at the incoming blow from her enemy. She swept her leg, making the malfested lose balance and stab his sword on the ground. She stuck her tongue out at the enemy and performed an uppercut to his chin. The malfested staggered and shook his head, but his prey was already too far gone. He roared in anger.

"Dad!" Trine finally reached her father and placed her hands on her knees. She panted heavily, sweat rolling down her skin and dropping to the ground. "What's going on in this town?! I just got back and he… he fought me! My sword broke in half because he's not human anymore! His eyes are glowing red and-"

"Trine, listen to me." Her father handed her a new weapon. It was Scharfrichter, the cursed blade that saps the soul of the wielder. "Remember that we love you, Trine. No matter what happens, I'm proud to see you grow, my daughter."

"Dad…?" When she took a closer look at her father, he was not faring better. His skin was so pale and his voice was croaked. She reluctantly took the blade and separated it into dual sabers. The Scharfricter's power had been long gone when she wielded it for the first time, back when her mother was still alive. Recalling the grim fate of her mother formed fresh tears on the corner of her eyes.

Trine was brought back to reality when she felt Tait's large hands pushing her back towards the secret door. "Go, Trine! Save yourself!"

The woman wasn't given a time to refuse as the secret door was closed, leaving her father behind the room. Turning around, she was about to pound on the door but she heard a roar. It was no ordinary one, it was a scream of his father! She could hear him apologize to her profusely before his speech turned similar like her enemy.

Trine felt her heart drop at the harsh reality she was shielded to see with her own eyes. Her father, Tait, transformed into a malfested. His final words echoed inside her head.

Tears flowing at the corner of her eyes, the woman step back and turned around to run as fast as she could. She sobbed and wailed while her legs continued to move, to bring her into a safe place. This secret room was their emergency exit when something bad happens. The news about the Evil Seed was taken into account, yet no preparation was enough for them to face it.

Not only it took her mentor and mother, it also took her father.

Trine was now all alone.

* * *

The sound of chirping was heard in a distance. Slowly, her eyes opened. She was greeted with the same ceiling of the room she was staying. She carefully rose from the bed, then glanced at her hand. A faint mark decorated her palm. Trine untied the ribbons that kept her top together and rolled the left part of her clothes, revealing her left arm.

The wound look more recent than her palm, but it was nothing to be alarmed about. Recalling her dream, she wasn't inflicted on her arm, but she did get her injury on her right palm on that night.

"Oh, Dad…" The memories felt fresh, but it was so long ago. Scharfricter was the weapon passed down to her as a farewell gift. That cursed night wasn't the time she was exposed from the Evil Seed. Saying her farewell to the shadowy figure occured months after that, she knew, she could remember now.

It was progress, albeit a tragic one.

But right now, she had to visit the dojo. If these fragments of memories make her lose focus on the present, it would be the cause of her avoidable death. This should help her train not only her body, but also her mind as well.

* * *

Notes:

The Training Dojo has some bits of information that was nice to read when playing it for the first time, so I decided to implement it on Trine's journey as well.

Trine is a Nordic name meaning woman. Tait is a Nordic name meaning cheerful or happy.

Trine will uncover more and more of her memories about her previous life as she ventures through her mission.


	3. Training Achieved, Memories Uncovered

Learning about the well-respected dojo in India, Trine made her way across treacherous mountain paths, enduring its inconveniences as part of her training. She traversed crumbling ledges that one mistake would cost her her life, but learning about the highly respected martial arts instructor named Drona who stays nearby, why would she pass the opportunity? He was praised as the very model of warrior, he definitely knows a lot by now.

Reaching the top of the mountains, Trine finally arrived at her destination. It was a dojo surrounded by burbling mountain streams. It was definitely not a grand one, considering the humble roots of the dojo master, but it was large enough to train a diverse group of young warriors coming from various parts of the world. The myriads of costumes they wore and weapons they wield showed their lineage, where most of them came from the higher hierarchy.

True to the gossips she heard at the lounge last night, the warriors who trained under his care were filled with enthusiasm and vigor. The battle cries were loud, strong, and filled with life. Their attacks were solid, blades clank loudly when collided from the duel, a loud thud when both blunt weapons made contact, and their focus was intense. It was like they memorized their enemy's pattern and know when to block and strike.

Trine was brought back to reality when she heard footsteps approaching her. The green bandanna that was wrapped around his forehead implied he was the dojo master. The muscles protrude from his body, showing his years of experience on training and fighting. He stopped on his tracks, arms crossed as he addressed her. "Hail, traveler. What business do you have so deep in the mountain?"

"My name is Trine. I've come here to learn, and train under you." She gave him a quick bow.

A friendly smile curved on his thin lips. She was a new face, he never saw her before at all. She had a delicate features, her long, straight scarlet hair flew freely behind her back, her brown eyes showed strong conviction, her cheeks were slightly pink, and her lips looked soft. Her facial expressions was unfitting for a strong warrior, but the dojo master knew to never judge someone base on their physical appearance. His eyes narrowed as he noticed the two sabers that hung on her hips, noting its sharp edges and curves, a polar opposite of his first impression of his new potential pupil. "Well, Trine, I never refuse anyone with a desire to learn. However," Drona motioned his head to the right, "I live in seclusion because I have earned the ire of the local king. If you stay, you too may find yourself with a powerful enemy. Are you sure about this?"

She stared at him with a stern face. The path she was on would be more grave than being hunted by the soldiers of a certain kingdom. She answered him with a strong resolve.

"Very well." He nodded his head. "I will train you. But, before we begin," He unsheathed his sword and pointed at the right, their makeshift battlefield, "Let me see your skills!"

Her lips curled into a confident smirk as she unsheated her blades, the reflection of sunlight made Scharfricted shimmer. "Trust me. You won't be disappointed."

* * *

After a quick test of strength, Trine proved her worth on being trained further. Her fluid movements as her slender limbs swung her dual sabers were lightning fast, Drona had to evade at the nick of time to avoid being heavily damaged. What the woman lacked was techniques, she could only guard his assaults and pitifully attempt to dodge his strikes that resulted in a bruise or two.

The dojo master taught her the basics of fighting: movement. He taught her about side-steps, quick step, rolling, evading, and dodging. Trine managed to perform well, as none of his strikes landed on her. Drona quickly took note of her quick-learning and how fast she could adapt to any situation. She was no greenhorn, that was a fact. The clothes she wore didn't show her origins, and it was proof that she fared better than a handful of his students that came from the top of his class.

Next was attacking. Trine quickly rushed in and swung her blades as Drona effortlessly deflected her strikes. Even the sweep of her leg was evaded with a quick step backward. Trine mentally noted that if her new master wasn't actually training her, he wouldn't hold back and defeat her.

Drona signalled her to stop attacking. "Next up, guarding. A strong defense is as important as a strong offense."

Trine nodded and readied her weapon to shield herself from his attack. She was tasked to only guard herself, and only to move herself to face his strike, not to get away from it. The clang of their blades were ear-piercing, but she was used to its noise by now. Trine struggled at maintaining her stance at first, every blow of his sword shook her arms that made her defense falter slightly, but if this kept up, she would lose. The next upward slash from his sword, she steeled herself and braced for impact. She had successfully guarded his consecutive attacks without losing her strength and maintained her guard.

Drona stopped his relentless assault and placed a good distance between them. The dojo master taught her the ability to parry an enemy's attack and follow it up with an attack of her own. This was a new technique she'd learned just now. It took her a few tries before she managed to get the hang of it.

Even though Drona was teaching her the basic fundamentals of fighting, Trine realized there was more to it than meets the eye. Being a skilled warrior wasn't about strength alone, she had to hone her wit as well. An average warrior would find this a waste of time, but for her, it was refreshing to re-learn the basics.

When she woke up in this world, Trine was already battling for her life.

Drona had taught her more basic techniques before giving her the final task for the day: defeating him in battle. Learning about the technique called reversal edge and unleashing her full potential in combat, Trine gave her new instructor no time to recover from every succeeding hit she inflicted upon him. A satisfied smirk formed on her lips, complimenting herself on her performance as she'd quickly done well on the spar. Exhaling, the adrenaline and bravado ceases as she gave him a small bow and a humble smile.

"You appear to have mastered basic fighting techniques rather quickly. You are no ordinary warrior."

The woman contemplated on explaining her current fate, but decided to only tell him about her semi-amnesiac state. After being awaken from a deep slumber, she couldn't recall anything but to finish her journey of becoming stronger, and she expressed her increasing longing to find the man she promised to come back for. The dojo master's expression grew clouded as he listened to her tale. His eyes were closed and his brows creased, only grunting to tell her to continue.

"It appears a lot had happened to you, it seems. I hope that one day you'll have find your answer." Usually, if the students shared their tales, they would brag about their origins and their skills in battle, or they express their vengeance about the people that they lost. Her story was unique for the dojo master.

"Thank you." Trine was grateful he didn't questioned her further.

Drona's stare lingered at her as she sheathed her blades and returned it to her hips. Trine glanced back and tilted her head.

"Let me tell you a story." Drona took a step forward and gaze at the view in front of them. The sun was set, ready to depart as the night took over. Many of the training warriors were already on their break, having pleasant conversations with their sparring partners or readying to take their leave. "When I first began my training, I had a fellow disciple who was slightly older and always looked down on me. I wanted to prove myself against him, so I learned a powerful technique."

Interesting. Her mouth was slightly agape as she listened on.

But his face went south. "And yet, when the time came, I still could not defeat him… It turned out I was unable to actually use the technique when the chance came."

Trine couldn't hide her disbelief. For someone respectable like him, his story sounded like the opposite of how he was now.

"My folly became evident. Instead of focusing on learning a flashy technique, I should have worked on improving my fundamental skills." His tone seeps of regret and anguish. His eyes were closed as he clenched his fists.

A small smile escaped her lips as she realized what this meant. This was why their first training was the basic fundamentals of fighting… She appreciated it better, and was firmly convinced on the people's remark on him.

He loosened his hands and opened his eyes. "So I dedicated myself to practicing the fundamentals. When I was satisfied, I went to challenge him once again, but it was too late." He paused, and a heavy breath escaped his lips. "He had lost his life in a war against the neighboring kingdom."

"I'm sorry for your loss." That was all she could muster to say.

Drona acknowledge her apology with a nod. His face lightened up, and showed a stronger resolve. "This man had a son who claimed vengeance against the one who slew his father only half a year later. Now, he is a warrior even more skilled than his father was." He took something out from his pocket and handed it to her. "Take this letter of introduction. If you ever have the chance, you should pay him a visit."

Trine took the letter and expressed her gratitude. She told him she would come back tomorrow and left the dojo behind. The travel back to the raggedy path had became easier after she travelled once on this path. The woman decided to stay at the nearby town market she passed by earlier instead of the previous inn she stayed. Training her body should be one step closer from never fearing the Astral Chaos consuming her soul.

* * *

Trine returned to the dojo and was greeted warmly by Drona. "It is good to see you again!"

"Likewise." She smiled back at him.

"To what do I owe the pleasure? Come to train, perhaps?" He was amused, and relieved to see her face again. "If so, I applaud your dedication."

"Your teachings had been a great help on improving my skills in combat. I would like to continue learning from you."

His face brightened up, a pleased grin emerging from his lips. "Very well. Today, I'd like to teach you about the many different attacks you can employ in battle."

Trine gave him a nod and started her warm-ups.

* * *

The training ended with a satisfied result. Trine would keep these new offensive techniques in mind and implement it on her next real battle. Drona gave her a moment to rest her sore muscles for their next lesson. Glancing at the clear blue sky, the clouds that were slowly swept by the gentle wind was the opposite of what would happen next after she was finished training here.

After drinking the water provided in the dojo, she went back to the arena for their next lesson: inflicting effects on her enemies using her own attacks.

"Offense is not about attacking wildly. In order to claim victory against a skilled foe, you must know when and where to use what technique." He craned his shoulders and raised his sword. "So, let us begin your next lesson!"

"Yes, master!" Trine unsheathed her dual blades and connected the hilt together as one.

* * *

Trine wiped the sweat on her brow with the back of her hand. Learning about counter attacks by striking her foe before they could land theirs, successfully delivering a lethal hit, breaking someone's guard and stunning her opponent gave her a slight difficulty on reaching the benchmark. She remembered that it used to be a tough thing she could barely do, but thanks to Drona, she finally learned how to properly execute each technique. In a span of a few attempts, she could land each type of hit with ease.

"You'd grown more skilled, but, as you continue to advance, you will no doubt eventually find yourself against a seemingly insurmountable wall."

The dojo master started to narrate another tale for her to listen to. "Let me tell you a story from my past. When I was young, I traveled the world as an itinerant warrior. One day, I was in the distant north of the Ming Empire, in a place called Sichuan…"

"Wait," Trine interrupted him with a small wave. "Isn't Sichuan in the southwest of the Ming Empire?"

Drona only stared at her with a puzzled look. She could swear it was in southwest, not in the distant north… She may not be able to recall her past life, but she could still remember important locations like the Ming Empire. Or maybe something _did_ change, and that includes the location of the empire?

"Is it? Really?" The dojo master only shrugged his shoulders. "Well, whatever it may be, I was there." Drona resumed his tale about his adventures, meeting a tribe of fierce warriors along the way. "It was during my time with them I met Hong Yue."

Her eyes widened slightly. That name… There was something about her name that made her feel connected, feel familiar. Her reaction couldn't lie, she knew this woman somehow.

"Hong Yue was a strong and beautiful young woman."

Trine couldn't help but grin at his remark.

"Her slender limbs wielded a blade with great finesse, and her strikes were quick as lightning. She could fend off any attack, nimbly moving like a young willow in a tree in the breeze…" He shook his head. "Your own elegant strikes reminded me of her, Trine."

The woman hummed, the possibility of knowing Hong Yue now tilts to a yes. She took a deep breath. "I may had met her years ago, or it was my mother who met her when she was still alive and passed down her wisdom on me. My gut tells me I know her, but alas, I have no memory of her." An awkward chuckle escaped her lips. "Your entertaining stories helped me remember my mother's face. Maybe my mother and Hong Yue are friends at one point, or I'd probably met her before I lost majority of my memories."

"I am glad to hear you appreciate my ramblings." Drona's lip twitched into a smile. "But let me tell you this, after witnessing how she uses her blade, I immediately fell in love with her." Saying that, his lips curled into a lopsided frown as he bowed his head, "However, she told me she could never love me unless I could best her in combat. In a contest of strength, I'd beat her easily, but her defense was impenetrable. My attacks were blocked, parried, or avoided. I couldn't even touch her. That was because I had not yet learned how to pierce a talented foe's defense."

"I'm sorry to hear that." She didn't know this story would end up with a heartbreak. She felt extremely bad for him.

"It's fine." He raised his head to face her again. "Anyway, I have learned a thing or two since then, such as the effectiveness of throws against an opponent who rarely lets their guard down, and that there are special techniques that break through any guard. But, back then, she defeated me and said she had no interest in the weak. I left, trained as hard as I could, and eventually returned to face her again. Unfortunately, she had already wed another."

Trine gave him a sympathetic look, then stared at the horizon. "Where will I be able to meet her?"

"She resides in Sichuan. If you have time in your journey, it would do you well to experience her skills first-hand."

"Thanks again for your words of wisdom, Drona." Trine smiled and bowed. It was time for her to leave and come back the next day.

* * *

When the woman approached the gate, she could see Drona giving his farewell to another visitor. They must had finished their training already.

"Take care! And don't oversell the skills you've learned, got it?"

"Yes, Master! Thank you so much for everything. I promise that, one day, I'll come back to visit." Drona's student bowed then began trudging down the mountain path. He didn't spare a glance at her.

Drona noticed her standing nearby and approached her. "Sorry to keep you waiting."

Trine turned to face the dojo master. "It's fine." Her lips formed a small smile.

He gave her one in return. "Back for more training, are you? Well, come on in."

The woman followed him from behind. As they reached the vacant arena, Trine expressed her curiosity about the man who just left.

"Him? Ah, he is one of my students here in my dojo. He had come from the desert in the northern reaches of the Ming Empire. On my way home from a romantic defeat at the hands of Hong Yue, a man saved my life in the desert. The student you just saw came here on that man's recommendation."

Trine was unable to respond properly as the location of the desert bothered her. To reach India from Sichuan, one must head southwest, not somewhere in north. Her brows were creased as she pondered about why she recalled the location in the opposite direction, and what if from the time she disappeared, the paths had changed…?

"Hmm? What's with the perplexed look?" Drona stared at her intently. It was enough to break her out from her trance, she saw him giving her a sheepish smile. "I get it! Training first, talking later. I apologize if I ended up rambling." He cleared his throat. "Today, I'm going to teach you about guarding and avoiding. You need to be focused or else you will lag behind!"

Trine nodded and readied her weapon.

* * *

The training had been another success. Trine was quick to adapt to Drona's unpredictable strikes by dodging, countering with her own attacks, and ducking the swing of his blade.

"Very good. Those are the fundamentals of defense. Your lessons after this will be much harder."

"Thanks, Master." The woman waved her hand as she left the arena.

While waiting to refill her water bottle. Trine thought back about the woman that broke her master's heart, Hong Yue. She and her mother were probably friends, and maybe she'd met with the swordswoman herself. But if the astral fissures were located somewhere else, she had to postpone her plan to visit Hong Yue after her journey.

She glanced at the sky again, the view from the mountains provided a sight to see. It helped her feel calm, focused, and ready for the next lesson. She drank the fresh water in her bottle, the cool temperature felt great for her exhausted body, then refilled her supply again.

* * *

"Evading an attack entirely is usually the best option, but in a serious battle, you don't always have that luxury. When you're pressed hard by a dangerous opponent, what do you do?"

Trine hummed, there were a few ideas that played in her head, but she couldn't speak it out loud, the idea of speaking the wrong thing would sully her confidence. The woman gazed at the dojo master with a sheepish smile as she shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, I'll teach you some techniques that will help you grasp victory from the jaws of defeat." Drona unsheathed his sword and went on his battle stance.

Trine readied her weapon as well.

The dojo master taught her about quickly getting up from the ground when knocked back from a strike. Then, he told her she can also attack as she was about to get up from the ground. He also trained her to control her body while in air to avoid the vicious combos of her opponent. Finally, Drona helped her to master parrying one's attack.

Quickly enhancing her skills on these techniques, Drona ended the training lesson. They took their time collecting their breaths, letting the cool breeze of the mountain air brush past their weary bodies. Trine could see the nostalgic look on her master's face, and couldn't help but smile.

"To be quite honest, I have a habit of accidentally going somewhere entirely different from where I intended."

"Now this is something new." An amused chuckle escaped her throat as she approached her master. "It's fun to explore your new surroundings after all."

Drona nodded. "That's how I ended up wandering for three days and nights in the Gobi Desert. I was on my last legs when a merchant caravan found me."

"Without them, you'll be toast!" She grinned at him.

The dojo master laughed. "Thankfully, the merchant was kind enough to take me to Kashgar, and that's where I met one incredible fellow. His name was Klich. He was a weaponsmith, and one talented warrior. He could fight with any weapon and any style under the sun."

"Interesting…" To be able to use every weapon, each with different techniques and skills, this weaponsmith was no doubt a weapon master as well, even if he was a jack of all trades.

"In battle, he was relentless, giving his opponent very little opportunity to act. He always said he fought to test out the weapon he made, but it was hard to believe he thought of fighting so casually. I'd never met a fiercer warrior."

"He'd mastered a lot of fighting styles, he definitely sounds strong." Trine clasped her hands together in admiration. "He sounded like a humble man. He doesn't brag about his skills, and only shows it on the battle."

Drona nodded with a smile, and continued on. "If only I'd known how to deflect attacks when I was on the defensive, I might have been able to put him off balance. But alas, all I knew at that time is to block his attacks and pray for an opening, and before I knew it, I lost the battle."

"For every loss, you seem to learned to amend your mistakes and improve on where you lacked. I should follow your footsteps and analyze my wrongdoings and polish it on the next battle."

"It's good to hear that you'd learned something outside of training. Keep it up."

A mischievous grin formed on her lips. "First thing first, I should possess a bad luck. Then, I should somehow keep losing to get important lessons. And then I should have a bad sense of direction and end up somewhere far away from where I was intended to go." She snapped her fingers in air, proud of her master plan.

Drona shot her an unamused scowl. "Trine."

The creased brow and the wrinkles of his forehead sent goosebumps on her skin. "S-Sorry, Master!" Trine jumped in her place, a roll of sweat falling down her face.

Her embarrassment quickly dissipated as a certain phrase struck her like lightning. _Bad luck_.

She knew someone who was unlucky, but who?

Trine heard him let out a deep sigh before continuing his words. "If you're ever in Kashgar, I recommend you go see Klich. He's an expert warrior and a first-rate weaponsmith. You won't regret meeting him."

She gave him a small smile, dismissing her thoughts. "I can't wait to see him as well. It would be nice to check out his array of weapons I can use one day."

Waving her farewell to Drona, Trine ventured on the mountain path with uncertainty. Was the man she promised to return to possessed bad luck? Was that why it made her react? Fortune wasn't on her side, nothing tickled on her repressed memories.

Maybe it was her that possessed such luck.

* * *

Trine rose from the bed and prepared her belongings to visit the dojo again. In front of the mirror, she could see her reflection. There was no marks or scars that smeared her face. Her hair shone from the reflection of the ray of faint sunlight, the color bright red. The sun had barely risen, but she was wide awake and ready to train. Trine fixed the ribbon that keep her garment together, then lightly tapped the tip of her boots against the floor.

Ensuring she left nothing behind, the woman left the inn she was staying and made her way to the mountain path to reach her destination. She could see the sun was slowly rising from the horizon, ready to start another day.

Drona was standing from the gate, and gave her a satisfied grin. "You're up early again. Good! Diligence and hard work are the keys to developing a skilled hand and sound body. Your dedication is admirable."

"Thank you, Master!" Trine bowed her head.

He motioned her to follow her, his gaze never leaving her. "Now, let's get to your final lesson. I'm talking about the clashes that emerges in the heat of the battle, which require you to think on your feet."

"Understood, Master."

They reached the area where they first trained. Trine was going to miss this place. The gentle breeze that flew against her skin helped her muscles cool and relax, and the lovely view of the mountains was a sight she would treasure in her memory.

"You still need to polish your quick-wit in order to gain the upper hand." He moved to the edge od the platform and turned around to face her. "After this, we will have one final duel to see if you'd grown as a warrior."

"Yes, Master!"

It was nice for her to hear that today was the final day of preparing herself for the harsh journey ahead, but it was also sad to leave the dojo after this for good. Trine grew fond of spending her time with Drona, and she was happy that he was lending his ears when she shared a tale of her own. Standing on the spot of the arena, she readied her weapon and focused on the master in the opposite direction.

* * *

The master and the student gazed at the horizon, watching the sun set for the evening to come. Trine held her water bottle as she raised it to take a sip.

"That was a well-fought sparring match. From the flow of the battle, I can see that your time spent training under me has made you a better warrior. You are one step ahead on becoming a formidable foe."

"Again, thank you so much for training me, Master." Trine bowed. "But what do you mean by flow?"

"Flow, you ask? That's right. Battle ebb and flow, just like the tides. You need to read that flow and think three moves ahead if you want to win. That's the secret, but you'd already uncovered it before you properly understand it."

"I see." Trine averted her gaze to the horizon as she took a deep breath.

"Speaking of which, remember the merchant caravan that picked me up in the Gobi Desert? They ended up hiring me on as a guard, and together we traveled down to a port in Persia. It was a big city, so I figured I could find a ship that'd take me back to India."

"Don't tell me…" Trine flashed her grin. "Something unexpected happened again."

"As luck would have it, yes, something unexpected did happen." An amused chuckle escaped his lips. "I boarded a trading ship on its way to India, which was promptly sunk by a raging tempest of a storm right as we left the Persian Gulf. For days, I floated on a piece of driftwood until I washed up on the shores of Africa."

"Yikes!" The woman gritted her teeth, feeling sympathy to her master.

"It gets even worse. My clothes were tattered and torn after surviving the ordeal, but I somehow still had an iron grip on my weapon. Of course, that just made the natives think I was a pirate, and I soon found myself fighting off a local warrior by the name of Wolde."

Trine flinched at the thought of being misunderstood like him.

"I'd liked to believe that we were evenly matched in strength and speed, but Wolde was far more experienced than I. He could read the flow of the battle like a book, but I couldn't. Whenever we clashed, I foolishly tried to pull off the same move time and time again. That's why I lost the battle to him."

"That sounds rough, master." She gave him a wry smile.

Drona chuckled in amusement, and continued his tale. "Fortunately, I managed to clear up the misunderstanding. Wolde and I grew close, and eventually, we swore an oath of friendship. He invited me into his home in Aksum, and that's where I met his sister, the woman who would become my wife."

Trine expressed her happiness with a girlish squeal.

"If you ever have the opportunity to go to Aksum, be sure to meet Wolde. He's an incredible warrior." He paused. "...And, if you wouldn't mind, please tell him I'm extremely grateful of everything he'd done for me, and that his sister and I are both healthy and happy."

"I promise, Master." She bowed. "One day, I'll come back with Wolde's response."

"I will be waiting for that." Drona smiled. "Go and find what you are looking for, and remember your training. I admire your confidence in battle, how you hide your true self outside the fight, but do not inflate your ego too much."

"Yes, Master. Farewell." Waving her hand, Trine approached the gate of the dojo to leave.

It was time for her to face her purpose. She must find the astral fissures to get their power and live longer. Thanks to Drona's stories, she had some lead on parts of her memories. Her family disappeared before her soul was consumed by the Evil Seed. Her mother passed away before they were attacked by malfested. How her mother got slain by a malfested, she had no clue.

It seemed she'd lived her life in solitude, deciding against travelling far and wide after the death of her father. Trine knew she never boarded a ship again. Maybe to survive, she worked as a mercenary and had no permanent place to stay. Or maybe she stayed alongside the man she'd promised to join after deciding to leave the peaceful life behind to become stronger. The latter option felt far-fetched for her as every nerve of her body signals it as false.

Ultimately, she knew spending the rest of her time in peace wasn't an option right now.

When she arrived at the foot of the mountain, Trine dug out the scales Zasalamel had given her. She saw it was lopsided, the blue flame sat at the bottom while the orange one was lifted at top. This showed that her soul leaned towards being good. A smile curved on her lips. She was ready to face the next enemy that goes in her way… Malfested or not, anyone that prevents her from getting close to the fissure will be defeated.

* * *

Notes:

At the time this chapter is written, I am unsure if Trine will be able to meet these people on the normal route. I'll find a way to ensure she can meet them somehow.


	4. Forming A New Bond

She dreamed of the same nightmare after a few days of peaceful slumber. The Astral Fissure was beckoning her to come closer, to give in to her fate. She was a dead man walking, it was meant to be.

When Trine opened her eyes, she wasn't greeted by the coastal plains of India. The sturdy tree trunk was missing behind her back, the tips of the grass weren't tickling her exposed thighs. No, her environment was something else entirely. It was an impossible sight. Glancing down, she saw that she was floating in a vast space. She could control her body by spinning it around, but to move from a short distance? There was some unknown force that bounds her on where she was now.

Trine realized that the ground was non-existent. Below her was darkness, while the view ahead was the sky stretched on into infinity. The place wasn't empty, there were broken pillars that showed age, chunks of masonry that was rusty and unsalvageable, houses that were collapsed, broken towers… Every shape and size that were man-made was here, waiting for their time to perish as they get closer to the enormous whirlpool of light. An unfortunate piece of rubble was sucked in, damaged pieces separating into thousands of chunks as they drew closer. When it made contact, it disappeared without any form of sound.

The light was a sight to see, but knowing the fate of the poor rubble, it filled her heart with dread. If she couldn't get away from it, she, too, will disappear in utter silence. No matter how hard she tried to crawl her way towards the safety of the pillar, the distance between the whirlpool of light and her own was shrinking in length. Even if she scream in fear as she swung her limbs to run, it was useless.

Maybe it was meant for her to be part of the Astral Chaos. Maybe it was destiny that her soul will be intertwined with its light, consuming her conscience…

...But Trine made it this far. She'd absorbed the power of the astral fissure without it consuming her soul, she trained in the dojo that was located in the western coast of India, befriended the dojo master Drona, and recalled portions of memories that reveals who she was. She would not submit to destiny and allow herself to be consumed by the bright harbinger of death! What she needed strength! The strength to defy her current fate! Facing the terrible light, the woman screamed at the top of her lungs, resisting the magnetism that binds her to connect with the light.

Before her body made contact with the light and accept her defeat, two swords appeared before her. Trine reached up to grasp the hilt of the floating blades, but she needed to close the gap further. She struggled to even move an inch, but it was no use. The woman stopped her attempt when a voice broke the silence.

"Those who desire strength must make a choice."

Her arm went limp by her side as she waited for the voice to continue.

"If you value freedom and wish for the power to pursue your own path, choose the golden sword. If you honor the virtues of harmony and reason, and wish for the power to bring order to a chaotic world, choose the azure sword."

There was no sliver of hesitation shown on her face when Trine reached up to grab the hilt of the azure blade. What she was raised to do was to bring order on chaos, and overcome the temptation of power-order and harmony go hand in hand, as what her mother would say. The woman felt a wave of peace washed over her, recalling her beloved family. Her father Tait, always cheerful and ready to make someone smile, her mother Sanna, a strong swordswoman who was always honest and virtuous to a fault, her brother Sig, ready to answer the cries of help of the townsfolk, and lastly herself, a blooming warrior who was destined to follow the footsteps of her mother.

She remembered their faces. Tait's facial expressions were always soft and sincere, his fiery red hair accentuates his friendly nature. Sanna was the opposite of Tait, instead of the rounded brown eyes that speaks no harm, her crystal blue eyes showed no lies. She was cool, calm, and a formidable trainer. Sig possessed an intimidating aura, but the man had taken in their father's nurturing and welcoming nature, the gentle blue pupils showed that despite his robust and stoic appearance.

Flashbacks of the family moments spent together flashed before her eyes, filling her heart with a calming warmth. From various scenes where they spend their time together, to Sanna mentoring her to wield the dual sabers for the first time, to Tait sailing the seas as she stood by his side, to Sig singing along with her… and then to the moment of the person she cared about the most. The promise to join him on his missions one day, after she was confident in her skills…

Her mind tranquil and her senses sharp, Trine raised the blade high in the air then struck a swift blow at the swirling light. It connected, but it didn't stopped her train of thoughts. The figure's words kept repeating in her head.

_Promise me you'll come back, Trine. _

He spoke over and over. Closing her eyes, a single tear rolled down her cheek.

"One day… I'll remember who you are and see you again."

When she opened her eyes, she was greeted by blinding light that enveloped her surroundings. The woman shielded her eyes, and then her mind went blank.

* * *

Trine let out a low groan, her relaxed state was replaced with an unbearable head pounding and nausea. The surroundings were bright, rich in colors that it stung her eyes. She kept swinging her arms around, trying to fend off the light that drew her soul within.

"Hey, you. You okay?" A voice suddenly broke in. With her state, she couldn't comprehend what the amused voice was saying. "You wanna be careful swinging your weapon 'round like that by yourself! Have you maybe had a few too many drinks?"

Shaking her head, she glanced at the direction of the voice. Blinking, what was in front of her was a shadow of a figure that was waving his unarmed hand. The figure looked robust and strong. Her vision was unclear, but there was no doubt in her mind. This must be the berserker coming out from that horrendous light! It was time to be just stronger than this, and then this nightmare will end.

Groaning, she readied her weapon, ready to strike at any given moment.

"Easy there! I'm not looking for a fight!" Unfortunately for the newcomer, it was a ill-constructed mushed of a noise that registered in her ear. "Well, looks like I got no choice!" He went on his battle stance, his face fierce and ready to fight. "Hah, I won't go easy on ya!"

Trine rushed forward, the connected dual blades ready to strike the enemy down. The newcomer raised his nunchucks to block her attack, but she spun to the right before swinging her arm down, hitting his vulnerable shoulder. Maxi grunted as he staggered and fell down on his knees. He had no time to recover as the woman struck him with an uppercut, flinging his body up in air.

The man fell down to the ground with a loud thud. Trine closed the gap between them and slid her leg apart, the blade ready to perform another attack. The man quickly rose from the ground, but was met with another bash of her blade. Instead of striking forward, the woman did a backward strike and separated her weapon with another slash. All he could do was to cry out in pain and be vulnerable to her combo. Arms swinging upward, she swung both of her hands down, blades reconnected and ready to hit her opponent.

Recovered from assault, the man saw her preparing another stance. She crouched backward, her armed hand behind her. He took the opportunity connect the sole of his feet against her forehead. Trine was startled and shook her head. Scowling, she kicked him hard on his torso, pushing him back on the ground. As her enemy tried to stand up, she rushed in and slashed her weapon on his ankles, then performed a roundhouse kick that send him a few feet away from her.

The man got up on his feet, an amused chuckle emerging from his lips as he flicked his nose. "I'm impressed."

That was enough to snapped her out from her blinded fury. Trine shook her head again, trying to refocus her vision on what was ahead. He gave her no time to take a break as he closed the gap and smacked her nunchucks towards her, striking her with rhythmic attacks that sends her body flying towards the tree behind her. She landed her back against the tree trunk, a small cry escaping her lips. She had lost her grip on her blade, focusing her free hand to relieve the pain behind her head.

Trine could hear her enemy's footsteps approaching her. Rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand, she glanced up to see someone that couldn't be classified as a berserker, nor even a malfested. He had a slightly tanned complexion, his costume consisted of the color white with gold accents. His short-sleeved jacket only accentuated his well-toned abs that was covered in sweat, the belt wrapped around on his waist was accompanied by a purple with blue and white accents scarf, his pants were loose around his thighs, and his boots was snug-fit on his feet.

Aside from the bruises he gained from her strikes, his fierce gaze and goofy grin was a clear sign that he was alive and well. His face was soon filled with concern when he looked down at her with a small frown. The weird hairstyle on his bangs gave him a friendly yet somewhat heroic look.

"You back to your senses?"

Trine felt absolutely horrible. She'd attacked an innocent man because of her nightmare. She saw him extend his hand. Taking her weapon on the ground, she took his offer and stood up with his help.

The man gave him a friendly smile. "The name's Maxi. What do you go by?"

"Trine…" Her face turned suspicious as she recognized his costume. He was a pirate. Her lips were frowning as she remembered there were bad pirates on the sea, who took things by force.

"Trine? Nice name." He noticed her wary face and gave her a hearty chuckle. "Don't worry, I ain't gonna steal your possessions or anything. Not all pirates are like that."

Relieved, she closed her eyes and released a deep breath as she returned her separated blades on her hips.

"Y'know, you've got skills!" Maxi crossed his arms. "But, as an apology for attacking me out of nowhere, how 'bout listening to what I got to say?"

"What do you have to say?"

"It's nothin' bad." He shrugged his shoulders. "Just a job offer. You up for it?"

"O-Of course." Realizing she hadn't apologized yet, Trine quickly bowed her head in shame. "Maxi, I'm so sorry for attacking you out of the blue. I just…" She glanced up as her voice softened. "I just had a bad nightmare. I'd mistook you for a monster."

"Apology accepted, Trine." He gave her a grin.

A small smile formed on her lips as a wave of relief washed over her. This pirate, Maxi, was nice enough to only ask for help as an apology. "What's your current job about?"

"So here's what I'd been asked to do. The residents of the village nearby suddenly vanished one day, and at the same time, a mysterious hole appeared. It was just a few meters away from the village, and according to the people, strange creatures started coming from the hole itself." He moved his hands according to his story. It helped her understand that the situation was serious. "The village head believed it was these creatures who wrecked havoc and attacked the defenseless villagers, and offered a job to find them and exterminate them."

A mysterious large hole close to the village, and strange creatures emerging from the hole… Was this the astral fissure Zasalamel had mentioned to her?

"I know how to handle myself, so I agreed to help." Maxi's face turned into a frown. "But they wanted me to take care of the hole as well as the creatures. Right when I was thinking I needed some help, I ran into you." The smile on his lips returned. "The reward's juicier than a rare steak. How's a 50/50 split sound?"

Trine couldn't really let the villagers suffer more from the malfested, and if it was indeed the fissure she was looking for, it was another progress on defying her destiny. "Where's the hole located?"

Maxi pointed his finger towards the left. "It should be right there. We just need to travel across the forest and stuff 'till we see a nearby village to ask around."

That was where she was heading as well. Trine gave him a small smile. "Alright. I'll tag along with you."

Maxi gave her a self-assured grin and extended his hand. "Alright then. Let's do this, partner!"

The woman grasped it firmly and shook it, showing off her own friendly grin. "I got your back, partner."

* * *

Arriving at Visakhapatnam, Maxi showed his experience on travelling the world by sharing a lot of stories to his new partner and friend. Trine appreciated his company, listening intently to his tales and expressing her opinions with an amused chuckle. The woman had inquired about the recent news since she was out of the loop from her long sleep.

"All I hear now is crazy talk." His lips curled into a deep scowl. "To the west of the continent, some lord suddenly went nuts. In another town, there was a massacre that wiped out the entire population, but nobody knows who or what caused it…" He shook his head. "Even we were attacked once by a bunch of creeps with red eyes."

They all sounded like they were turned into a malfested. The Evil Seed's influence was so strong… Thankfully, not all of the people were tainted by evil.

"That sounds bad." Trine gave him an apologetic look. She glanced up in the sky while they continued walking to their destination. "For a captain of a pirate crew, you sound way nicer and less aggressive." She glanced at him with a smirk. "Usually, the pirates I know are beardy and resorts to threats. Rarely do I meet another pirate that is altruistic."

It was as if her mouth was on auto-pilot. Trine didn't recall encountering pirates after she woke up, but it was like she knew what the pirate life was about… or rather, what _other_ pirates were focused on that didn't involved attacking innocent ships.

"As I'd said earlier, not all pirates are like that." He laughed, amused at her witty quips. "I'm a traveler. I love adventures, the places I can visit, and venturing around the globe. Speaking of, I forgot to ask. What's given you the travel bug, Trine?"

"Me?" Trine pointed her thumb at herself. The question startled her. She did had a purpose on this travel, but could she entrust him that information? She decided to be as vague as possible. "I have lost a portionl of my memories, I don't know what happened to me before. But, one thing I remembered was there was something I needed to take care of at the place we're heading right now. It's the astral fissure, created by the Evil Seed. When you met me earlier, I was just done dealing with it, and ended up having a rough dream."

"I see. At least you didn't harm any innocent civilians." A playful grin emerged on his face. He didn't seem to question her further than that. "But astral fissure? Evil Seed? Never heard of it…" His brows creased. "Some of my crew might know something, though." He gave her a reassuring look. "I'll ask around."

"Thanks, Maxi." She gave him a small smile.

They continued to trudged forward. They were nearby a forest, but the path they were taking were an open-field so none of them would get lost from the maze inside the trees. Maxi continued his stories about his travels, which reminded Trine about her father.

"Hey, Maxi. Do you know a guy named Tait?"

"Tait?" Maxi rubbed his chin as he tried to recall such name. His face lightened up with a sense of familiarization. "I heard of his name popped out a few times. Guy's a good guy all-around. One of my crew actually met him. Said that he was like giving pirates a better reputation or something." He gave him a friendly grin. "Do you know him or something?"

Trine nodded with a wide smile. "Yes. He was my father." To think that her father was a well-known person in the pirate world…

She glanced up at the sky. The smell of sea wafted through her nose as the seagulls cry in unison. For a moment, she was standing on the wooden board of a pirate ship, gazing at the calming waves of the deep blue sea. Her hands clutched on her one size too pirate hat she wore on her head.

"I remember now… Before all of this, I'd followed my father's footstep because he asked me to. It's not like he forced me, it's just…" She placed her hand against her chest. "I was chosen to take up my mother's place when I was strong enough, but after mother died, my father didn't want me to suffer the same fate. He wanted me to live the rest of our lives in happiness, and I'll be forever grateful to him for that."

Her face became crestfallen when the vision of her father faded in front of her, her surroundings morphing back to the lifeless pathway they were in right now. "He died trying to buy time for me to escape when we were attacked by those monsters with red eyes. I'd lost him by that night… and after that, I couldn't remember. All I knew is that I met a man that I hold dear in my heart. I still have yet to recall the rest of my memories."

She glanced at her companion to see him giving her an apologetic look. The woman realized he was quiet when she was rambling about her father.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Trine."

"It's fine, Maxi." She nodded softly at him. "I'm thankful that at least, I know he'd done a lot of good deeds in his life, before his eventual downfall."

* * *

The sky slowly turned orange as the sun was ready to set. They continued to venture forward, but the duo was now quiet. They let the time pass after the melancholic tale about Trine's father. They stopped at an open field that provided enough shelter for them to stay the night. Various sturdy logs provided them the makeshift bed they needed while twigs and branches would give them the heat to stand the chilly air of the evening.

Maxi dropped down and leaned against the log. He stretched his limbs with a tired yawn. "Man, I'm beat. I'm gonna turn in for the day." He waved his hand with a grin, breaking the gloomy atmosphere. "See you bright and early tomorrow!"

"Right. Have a good sleep, Maxi."

Glancing to her right, Trine surveyed her surroundings and settled to sleep on the opposite end of her companion. There was enough distance that give them privacy and to alert each of them if danger was near. She glanced at her partner for their task, he was already fast asleep. The dirt didn't hinder him from laying his back against the ground, his hands behind his head as makeshift pillow.

Trine decided to gather twigs and logs to make a campfire before giving in to her sleepiness.

* * *

No, not again…

The horrible vision of death and despair greeted her. The same place, the same people, the same event. The worst of it was the grim-looking sword that craves for her soul.

"Someone… help!" She felt her legs shake as she backed away from the sword. The piercing gaze made her blood run cold. Trine furiously shook her head. "I won't give in… I won't give in!"

The sword was getting closer. She squeezed her eyes shut as she shield her arms to block the view. The ominous aura was getting closer. Her heartbeat was loud and fast and she felt her skin turn cold. When Trine lowered her arms and slowly opened her eyes, the sword was only a few inches away from her. The eye on the blade grew wider as she could feel her energy getting sapped away from her body.

"NO!" Her eyes snapped open as she felt her body jolted awake. The unbearable headache was back. It felt like it was trying to split her head in two. Trine gently knocked the back of her head against the log she was sleeping on, but shook her head vigorously, trying to push the flickering remnants of her nightmare away from her mind. She took multiple amounts of deep breaths to calm her nerves down.

"What's up?"

Trine jumped from her seat, startled at Maxi's sudden appearance. She breathed another sigh of relief after realizing it was just him.

"You were calling out in your sleep…" He took something from his bag and handed it to her. "Here, drink up."

It was a bottle of fresh water. Trine felt embarrassed but took his offer with gratefulness. "I'm sorry if I disturbed your sleep. It's just a nightmare." She twisted the cap open and drank the content.

"It's alright." Maxi gave her a reassuring smile. "It's morning already. We should get a move on. The quicker we finish this, the better."

Trine nodded in agreement. Her headache thankfully subsided, but Maxi was right: they needed to move. She lost her grogginess already, so she was ready for another day of long walk. Glancing at the sky above, the sun was close to rising. The air was cool, but not enough to send shivers down her spine.

* * *

The duo eventually reached the end of the secluded area, their surroundings becoming more spacious and more open. There was a river by the edge of the ground, and a mountain standing tall from afar. The air greeted them with a gentle breeze, fluttering their loose clothes and strands of hair.

"We're getting close to our destination." Maxi spared her a glance, his raven eyes showed confidence and faith.

"Right." Trine slip out a small smile.

As they continued to ventured through the field, Maxi resumed sharing stories about his travels to Trine. It had lifted up their moods, as they were ready to tackle their task with positivity.

The woman was about to respond to his amusing story when she heard a voice behind her. It came from a man, and it sounded young. She turned around to see a new person not far from where they stood. He had a friendly smile on his face, and from his outfit, he seemed like a warrior. He gave her a nod, and walked towards them.

"Greetings. May I assume you're also heading through this forest on a mission to hunt monster?" He spoke with a gentle tone.

"Yeah, we are." Maxi rose an eyebrow, curiosity etched on his face. "You too?"

"Yes." The man gave them another nod. "My name is Haoran. I heard there were others who'd accepted the mission, so I thought I would introduce myself."

"I see." Crossing his arms, Maxi bobbed his head as he eyed Haoran. A grin broke on his lips. "I'm Maxi. This is my pretty partner in crime, Trine." He pointed his finger at her.

"Hello." She waved her hand gently, smiling wryly at Haoran after hearing Maxi calling her pretty. It didn't sit well for her.

"I have a suggestion. How about we join forces?" Haoran looked at Maxi, then at Trine. "While I signed up for this mission, my intent was only to save those in trouble. I have no problem with splittle the reward with you." The friendly smile never left his face.

"Well, Maxi?" Trine turned to her companion. "What do you think?"

Honestly, teaming up with another person would make the job easier, and she didn't feel any anomaly from the new guy. His main objective was to help the helpless, which lessen the load on their part, and she could quickly head to the astral fissure and claim its power.

"Sounds like a plan." Nodding, a satisfied smirk formed on his lips. "But I'm gonna have to test your skills first. You game?"

"Yes, of course." Haoran's reply was enthusiastic. "Let us begin!"

Trine quickly distanced herself from the duo to spectate from afar. Both man readied their weapons and locked their eyes at one another. A strong breeze brushed past them, and after it left, they made their move. Maxi rushed forward while Haoran stepped to the right. Before Maxi could swing his arms, Haoran thrusted his long staff forward, hitting Maxi on his stomach. The pirate cried out in pain, but quickly got up. The warrior didn't gave him a moment of respite as he thrusted his staff again, but this time, crouching forward to poke his knee.

Recovered from a slight recoil, Maxi ran forward to attack. Haoran was too slow to react on the upward swing of Maxi's nunchakus, his body flying in the air, then later struck with Maxi's nunchucks before hitting the ground. Groaning, Haoran rose from the ground and raised his staff, bracing for impact. Maxi ran up and faced him, but only lets the nunchuck swing around without hitting him. Smirking after fainting his attack, Maxi pivoted on his feet, hitting the warrior's vulnerable ankle. Haoran staggered with a groan, and was met with a smack of Maxi's nunchucks on his face. The pirate spun around, swinging his weapon that smacked his opponent on his shoulder. Haoran cried out in pain, but recovered quickly to block the downward swing of the nunchucks with his staff.

Maxi was a strong opponent. He should push himself to the limit. With a small huff, Haoran side stepped just in time to evade the overhead swing of the nunchucks, and quickly bashed the end of his rod on Maxi's ribs. Coughing, Maxi was unable to defend the following string of attacks of his staff as Haoran bashed him on his back, then leaped towards the air to deliver a swinging blow. Maxi hit the ground with a loud cry from pain.

Haoran took a step back and relaxed his stance. Maxi rose from the ground with a chuckle, his hands rubbing the sore spot on his back. Instead of yielding, Maxi shook his head and readied his battle stance.

"We're not done yet, Haoran!"

With a small bow, Haoran drew his staff. "As you wish, Maxi."

The battle continued on, and the fight grew fiercer. Trine observed the flow of the battle, remembering Master Drona's words. Battle ebb and flow. She could see Maxi's aggressive and swift movements that was a step ahead than his opponent, while Haoran was patient and calculating on his next move, leaning towards the defensive and only attacking to retaliate.

Every fighter had different styles and techniques. Even if they wield the same type of weapon, nor was trained under the same master, how they utilized it on the battlefield reflects who they were-those were her mother's words.

A smile curled on her lips. The battle was still not done yet, but she had learned a thing or two by just watching and understanding how they fight. Trine was brought back to the present when Haoran cried out as Maxi consecutively smacked him with his nunchucks. Every hit was solid, inflicting damage on his torso. Maxi channeled energy towards his fist that holds his weapon and released a battle cry, punching Haoran on his stomach that sent him flying a good distance away from him.

Haoran didn't get up from the ground and merely raised his hand, signalling he was yielding. Maxi quickly sprinted towards him and stopped nearby, extending his hand to help Haoran get up. The warrior took his hand and stood up, grunting as his body was sore from the aggressive hits he took.

"You win…" Haoran panted, his gaze at Maxi softened and a gentle smile emerged on his lips. "I must say, your aggressive style is impressive."

Maxi grinned proudly at him. "You're not so bad yourself. Where'd you pick up those staff skills?"

"At Ling-Sheng Su alongside my brother." Haoran shook his head. "To be honest, I thought I'd fare better against you..." A defeated sigh escaped his lips as his shoulders slouched.

Maxi took a few steps forward and patted him on his right shoulder. "Nah, ya did good. I feel like it should be _me _asking _you _to join forces!" Evident with his wide grin, Maxi had high respect on the newcomer. Maxi turned his head towards her direction. "You're with me, right, Trine?"

She nodded, and approached them with a smile. "Yes. It would be an honor to fight alongside with you, Haoran."

"Then it's settled." Maxi glanced at Haoran, announcing that he was now part of the team. "Welcome aboard!" He gave him a good slap on the back.

Trine extended her hand towards the new ally. "Welcome aboard."

Haoran took her hand and shook it. "Thank you." He took out something out from his pocket. There were two brown objects on his hand, having a rounded structure and was covered with plastic. "As a sign of our new friendship, how about one of Ling-Sheng Su's famous cakes? No one should fight on an empty stomach." His smile turned playful.

The wide grin returned on Maxi's lips as he took the offered mooncake. "Deal me in!" He noticed that Trine was only staring at the food, and not bothering to take the other one. "C'mon, Trine. Dig in!"

"Right." Bowing, she tentatively took the last mooncake. The woman realized she hadn't ate something sweet and light for so long… She only consumed proteins to refill her energy for the next journey. Trine wasn't sure if she was a fan of sweets, but when the two men started to walk forward as they converse while eating their food, she decided to try out the infamous food and catch up with them.

She plucked a portion of the mooncake and took a bite, its sweet flavor was nice change of taste. Trine expressed her newfound likings to the Ling-Sheng Su's famous cakes, while Maxi wished he could eat more. Haoran enjoyed the feedbacks of his new companions as he promised them that he would give them more treats when they work together again.

The moment of peace like this, Trine wondered if they would accept the truth about her-especially if they would see how would she get rid of the astral fissures. Deep in her heart, she knew she could entrust them how she came back to be in this world, but now is not the right time. The woman didn't wanted to ruin the mood by admitting something prematurely.

Trine felt a sharp pain inside her head, indicating she needed to absorb the astral fissure as soon as possible. She hid her pain from her companions, opting to join in the conversations about their favorite snacks. They were close, she just needed to tolerate the pain.

* * *

Notes:

Sanna is a female Nordic name that means truthful, and Sig is a male Nordic name that means victorious.

The fight scene is based on my actual battle with Haoran. I used Maxi's style on the Conduit so the fight can be described as Maxi vs Haoran, and not the Conduit vs Haoran. But like the previous fight scene, I have to take liberties on the battle I'm basing it with to fit with the flow of the story. This is my second attempt at writing a fight scene so I apologize if it's rusty.


	5. The Qualifiers and The Truth

**Author's Note: WAIT I FORGOT TO UPLOAD THIS ON FANFICTION! I'M SO SORRY FOR THE DELAY!**

Thank you very much for reading and reviewing! It means a lot that I'd delivered on my Conduit, and now it's time to deliver the scene with Groh. :"

I truly appreciate every hits, and reviews left in my work. Please enjoy the chapter!

* * *

"Alright." Maxi stretched his arms as a bored yawn escaped his lips. "Bhubaneswar, our destination. This should be where that astral fissure is located."

The path the trio were venturing was back on the unnerving atmosphere-trees surrounded them at every turn, the howl of the wind was soft as the moon shone brightly from the sky. Haoran and Maxi didn't looked like they were bothered, as

Maxi resumed on his chatter about his travels.

How he hated seeing the boring, dull look of trees on land, and would rather gaze at the waves of the blue ocean. There was also the fact that once you get lost inside the forest, there was no way out. When you get lost in the sea, the waves of the ocean and the wind's direction would be a great guide on finding your way back on land.

Trine chose to listen on the conversations the two were sharing. The pounding of her head was taking a toll on her, and her body screamed to rest and relax. Unfortunately, she had to endure through it all, the astral fissure was so close, she needed to harness its power to lengthen her own lifespan. She could only smile and nod when Maxi glanced at her, wanting to know what she thought.

From afar, there were a group of men that stood on the path ahead, blocking their destination. The taller man noticed their presence and approached them, his intense gaze and deep frown was a sign he was not here to make any friends. He was very bulky, his muscles protruding all over his body. The way he stared at them was intimidating, the dark mark on his right eye only made him scarier.

"Stop right there! What are you doing here?" His voice was loud, a faint echo occurred from their environment. It was clear he wanted to push them away.

His companion joined him from where he stood, a stark contrast of appearance evident. His skin was pale as snow, it almost matched the color of the clothes he was currently wearing. Unlike the other man, he had an eyepatch on his left eye.

"We Qualifiers watch over the area ahead." His voice was far more gentle than the other, lighter in tone and calmer. "Those without permission to proceed will be turned away."

Haoran's brow creased, a word stuck in his mind like glue. "Qualifiers?"

"I've heard the name from some rumors going 'round recently." Maxi wasn't smiling. His face was stern as his eyes locked on the two men that blocked their path. "Something about saving humanity…"

Saving humanity… Trine never heard of them before. She assumed that the west coast of Indian subcontinent never encountered these guys before, since none of the rumors were about the Qualifiers. The woman assumed staying at a rural place meant the people living there were ignorant on the dangers ahead.

Her thoughts were disrupted when the bulky man roared at them. "Quit babbling and get out of here already!" He stomped his foot on the ground.

Haoran raised his hands defensively, choosing to lessen the tension between the two groups. "We're only here to hunt monsters. If you share the same mission, it would benefit us all to work to-"

The warrior was cut off when he saw the bulky man marched forward on their direction, his hand latched on the handle of his weapons. "You think I was born yesterday? You're just trying to get to the astral fissure! That's Lord Azwel's, and I'll be damned if you get in his way!" He clenched his fist tightly in front of them, his sword glimmered from the moonlight. His fierce gaze was accompanied with a deep scowl.

Her eyes went wide from shock. How did Lord Azwel knew about her existence?! She could feel a chill running down her spine, her heart rate picking up. It was a mistake crossing paths with the Qualifiers. It was also a mistake teaming up with both Maxi and Haoran. She had pulled them along towards danger. She bit her bottom lip, her hands just a mere inches away from grabbing the hilt of her blades. No matter what happens next, Maxi and Haoran shouldn't be harmed by them.

"An astral fissure?" Maxi glanced at Trine. "Isn't that the thing you were talking about, Trine?!"

The woman didn't glanced back at him, her initial fear transforming into unwavering conviction. There was no turning back now. They must press on and fulfill their duty. Her hands took hold of the hilt of her dual sabers and connected it as one. She took a few steps forward, her left hand wrapped tightly around the hilt of her blade. "Maxi, Haoran. Let me handle them."

"Trine?" Haoran could only watch, his voice filled with worry. Maxi raised his arm to prevent him from moving.

"I knew it!" Snarling, the bulky man turned towards his companion, "Daniel! These ruffians are trying to disrupt Lord Azwel's plans! We should kill them before he arrives!" He swung his big weapon and struck it on the ground in front of him. He lifted it off the floor and readied his stance.

"Hold it, Valtro." Daniel raised his hand, "He would hate us to fight other people."

Alas, it bore no fruit. Valtro and Trine were already locking their gaze towards one another, their feet stepping right, waiting for one of them to make the first move. Daniel let out a deep sigh and pointed his thin blade at the other two. He lowered his head as his lips curled into a frown. "We don't want any trouble. Just leave. It's for all our sakes, if you get me." He spared a single glance at his enraged companion.

"It looks like they're not budging." Releasing his own breath, Haoran readied his staff. "Leaving right now means we failed to complete our mission."

Maxi flicked his nose, a confident smirk forming on his lips. "Heh. That just means we can skip to the good bit!" He prepared his weapon, eyeing the Qualifiers. "We can't let Trine fight the two of them while we stay here like sitting ducks."

"Quit whispering! I, Valtro, will slay all those who stand in Lord Azwel's way!" Stomping on the ground, he swung his arms, intimidating them. Haoran and Maxi stood together, armed and ready to fight. Daniel lowered his blade with another sigh, and Trine only pointed her dual sabers at Valtro.

The woman shot him a cocky grin. "Why don't you prove your worth, big man?"

Brows twitching, Valtro roared and rushed forward, his arms raised to strike his swords downward. Trine sidestepped to the right and delivered a roundhouse kick on his shoulder. She backflipped as Valtro snarled at the hit. Maxi was about to take the opportunity to maim him with his nunchucks but Daniel stepped between them, a single slash of his sword caused Maxi to step back.

"Valtro is currently busy with her." Daniel twirled around as he created distance between him and Maxi.

Haoran glanced at Trine to see her effortlessly deflecting Valtro's strikes, which had a lot of weight on them considering his bulkiness. His grip on his staff tightened. They may be fighting the smaller man, but that didn't mean it'll be easy.

"Even if there are two of you, it will mean nothing on this fight." Daniel readied his stance. "We've warned you."

"I know." Maxi grinned at Daniel, nunchucks swung around to prepare his stance, "But we have a job to do, and we will finish it."

Yelling, the pirate charged in, his right hand gripped tightly on his nunchucks. He pivoted his feet and swung his arm, nunchucks moving into rhythm. Daniel swiftly flicked the nunchucks away from him with the tip of his slimsword, ready to stab his enemy at his torso. Haoran saved Maxi just in time with a slam of his staff, the weight made Daniel topple forward and almost lose his grip on his weapon.

Maxi spared Haoran a grateful smile before rushing towards the enemy again. Daniel scowled, and with an upward swing of his rapier, he took a step backward to thrust his weapon forward again. Maxi guarded himself with his nunchuck, forcing the tip to wedge between the chains that kept his weapon together. Haoran took the opportunity to swing his staff towards Daniel's ribs, then slam the end of his weapon directly at his chin. Daniel wheezed and coughed, the hit he took made his body go numb. With Daniel paralyzed and vulnerable, Maxi closed in and repeatedly struck Daniel with his nunchucks. His fist connected to Daniel's torso and sent his body flying to the ground.

Valtro was not faring any better. He was flung into the air with an uppercut of her dual sabers, then received various slashes of her separated weapon. His raw strength alone was no match for Trine's swift movements, making her unpredictable. He raised both his swords to guard himself from a downward slash, but instead of his blades colliding against hers, he lost his balance from a sweeping kick. Trine twirled her body as she crouched down, her weapon grazing at his legs. She quickly jumped backward as Valtro tried to stand up with a groan.

Realizing they were at a loss, and they were no simple warriors, Daniel rushed to stand close to his companion and raised his sword. "I think it's better if we stand down, Valtro. Let's go."

"Tch!" Valtro spat on the ground, his gaze boring towards Trine. "Damn you to hell! Next time we meet, you won't escape my blade!"

Daniel took a step backward, eyeing them carefully. Positive that they wouldn't attack them any further, he turned around and ran. Valtro scowled and followed suit. The thickness of the trees and the lack of light in their area quickly erased any traces of the Qualifiers.

They let a few minutes pass by just staying on where they were, their bodies heaving in and out to regain their composure.

Haoran was the first one to break the silence. "Going by what they said, it would seem Lord Azwel hasn't arrived yet."

Maxi stored his weapon and glanced at his companions. "Let's head over before things start to get messy."

Trine quietly nodded at Haoran, and they started moving. The area was dark, but the moonlight was enough to provide the light they needed to venture further. The atmosphere felt tense after the encounter with the Qualifiers. Maxi and Haoran weren't ready to know what was up ahead, and if they finally found the truth, how would they react? Trine swallowed the lump in her throat. It wouldn't be the last time she would meet another group of Qualifiers, and she would have no choice but to fight her way through, even if it meant killing them.

She wondered if the Qualifiers were responsible for this mess? Or they, too, were trying to harness its power for their own means? Did she knew about them somehow? Or they were known when her soul was consumed by the Evil Seed? She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The woman hoped she would find the answers in time.

* * *

Venturing deep in the forest, they soon observed the slow changes in their scenery. The surrounding noises was devoured from the source of the rumbling quake. Up ahead was the familiar swirling vortex of colors that surged tremendous powers, it could make the ground shake at will. The incredible force made them feel restricted and confined, despite the spacious field they had reached after pushing through its force.

When Trine glanced back to check on her companions, she couldn't help but feel terrible. Haoran stared intently at the hole, his face filled with mesmerization. Maxi, however, was gawking and shaking his head as he walked back and forth.

"_That_ is the 'hole' they were talking about?!" Maxi heaved out a heavy sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Gimme a break. That ain't just any hole. It's a monster hole! We don't even know how to deal with _that!_"

Haoran's face fell from defeat. "How troubling… It is certainly beyond our ability to handle. We weren't even informed that this was something we can't deal with at our current state."

Maxi shook his head and stared at Trine. "Hey, partner." He pointed his thumb at the fissure. "Is _that _what you were looking for?" When he received a small nod, he shook his head in resignation. "Sounds like the rumors about monsters appearing were true…"

"You'd heard of them, right?" Trine tightened her grip on her weapon, taking a step forward as she waited for the berserker to come out. "They come out when someone with strength approaches the astral fissure."

"Is that how this stuff works, Trine?" Haoran kept his gaze at the swirling vortex of colors.

"Yes."

The astral fissure flickered, emitting a burst of light. Maxi and Haoran shielded their eyes with a grunt, and when they lowered their arms, they saw someone standing in front of the astral fissure. A warrior with a weapon in hand, but the menacing glowing red eyes, the grayish skin tone, and its earth-shaking roar was a sign it was no human.

"Great!" Maxi jogged forward as he readied his weapon. "Right after you said that, it appeared! I knew this wasn't going to be easy!"

The berserker snarled. Maxi jumped towards the enemy, nunchucks ready to be swung at its face, but the berserker shimmied to the side, narrowly avoiding his attack. He raised his arm and swung his sword, hitting the pirate on his stomach. He flew backwards with a cough, and landed on his back.

"Maxi!" Haoran ran towards him to nurse him back to health.

The berserker was about to run towards them but Trine clashed her blade against his large sword.

"If you wanna pick a fight, pick me!" The woman swerved their weapons to the right, then ducked the overhead swing of the berserker's blade. She deflected another swing of his blade as she stood up, struggling to keep the edges of his blade away from her.

"Heh. That sure packed a punch." Maxi groaned as he sat up. The spot of his stomach swelled, and he could feel it becoming sore. "Can't believed I let that freak smack me like a toy."

Haoran stared at him with a wry smile. "You rushed on ahead without preparation."

"Yeah, and it's my fault." Chuckling, Maxi glanced at the battle. Trine dodged every slash and stab with utmost elegance, like a dancer performing a series of complex movements. She moved her slender limbs to parry and repel the giant sword the berserker wielded. She leaned back to avoid the slash that was dangerously close to making contact with her torso, she kneeled forward to duck under the large pair of hands that attempted to grapple her, then rose from the ground with an upward swing of her blade. The enemy was pushed back away from her.

"You know, Haoran? What do you think of Trine's fighting style?"

"Her style… I'd never seen it before." Positive that Maxi didn't suffer major injuries, Haoran helped him stand up on his feet. "When did you meet her, Maxi? With what we're seeing, she is no ordinary warrior."

"I met her on the field yesterday. She attacked me without warning!" Maxi chuckled at the memory. "I almost lost the battle until she regained her senses. Said she was having a nightmare after dealing with the astral fissure."

"I can understand what she'd been through. The enemy comes from the hole and it seems that the only way to beat it is to fight back." Haoran glanced back at the battle ahead. The blades collided and clash, the berserker roared ferociously while Trine only gave her enemy a confident smirk. He glanced back at Maxi. "Where did she came from, anyway? I never recognized her style at all."

"Well, Haoran. There's a lot to unpack."

Maxi told what Trine had shared with him the night before, the enigma of her forgotten past and how she slowly recovers them left an astonished look on Haoran's face. Trine didn't look like a pirate _at all_, but considering how times had changed, there was no doubt there exist a rarity of female pirates.

"I see… And you called her your partner after she agrees to help you?"

"Yep." Maxi let out a goofy grin. "I admire her strength after our first meeting, but when I talked to her, it felt like I could trust her, you know?"

"She does have that friendly aura on her." Haoran nodded. "But when she battles, she shows more of her confidence and her skills with her dual blades. I'm grateful she is on our side, as well."

"Yep! She's also gorgeous to boot. Sure, she's not as glamorous as those high-class women, but she can exhibit that feminine charm well."

"Er, right…" Haoran could only smile bitterly at him.

The two man spun their heads when they heard the berserker roar in rage. Trine stood with confidence, dual blade at her side as she taunted the berserker with her other hand. Like a fish in the water being hooked, lined and sinkered, the berserker ran up towards her, arms raised and blade held up high. Parrying another overhead strike of the berserker's sword, Trine thrust the end of her blade on his stomach, then swerved her weapon to the left.

"You lose, big guy."

The woman hopped backward as the berserker let out a low groan. She flicked her blades, then sheated it back to her hip, watching the berserker burst into particles of light, leaving no trace of his existence behind as it faded into nothingness. Maxi and Haoran approached her, witnessing what had just transpired.

"We done?" Maxi received a weak nod from Trine. He could see she was not faring better even after emerging victorious. "Jeez, what was that all about?"

Haoran raised his hand to the area where the berserker used to stand. "The creature appeared to be human, but it left no traces of its existence, as though it were a phantom." He cupped his chin as he examined the ground. "They come from that hole. Are they previously human?"

"Beats me." Maxi pointed his finger at his torso. "Also, I'm pretty sure the marks on my body count as traces…"

The trio fell silent as they observed the swirling vortex of light. There was no hint of another creature threatening to appear from the astral fissure again.

Maxi turned to face Trine. "Okay, so what about this _hole_?" He received no answer from her. "Uh, partner?"

The woman only stared at the vortex, which morphed into eternal blackness. Trudging through its tremendous force, Trine thrust both of her hands into the fissure. She grunted as the power surged through her body again, a faint glow emerged from her skin.

"Hey, what are you doing?!"

Maxi's words fell deaf in her ears as the pounding of her head made her dizzy and weak. Her body shook as she grabbed the power of the astral fissure. A flash of white light appeared right in front of her eyes before disappearing, revealing the same old forest they were venturing on. Trine dropped to her knees as she kept panting for oxygen. Bullets of sweat dripped all over her body as her vision darkened.

Haoran was shellshocked. His eyes were threatening to pop out, and his mouth was agape. "The hole just… vanished…" Just like that, the weird vortex of light that spawns phantom-like creatures was no more.

Maxi knelt down and planted his palm against her forehead, checking her body temperature. He scowled when she was burning up. "What the hell'd you do?" Despite being blunt, his voice was filled with panic.

Haoran soon followed and showed something in his hand. It was a small container filled with ointment of some sorts. He dipped his fingers on the ointment and carefully rubbed it against her forehead. The cool, menthol sensation eased her nerves as her breathing slowly returned to normal.

Blinking, she glanced at Maxi then at Haoran. "I… I'm sorry for getting you into this mess…"

"You don't have to apologize, Trine." Maxi carefully carried her in his arms, ensuring she was comfortable. He scanned his surroundings and saw a large log on the ground. "Haoran, clear those twigs for me. We'll let her rest there."

With a nod, the warrior rushed to the spot the pirate pointed and cleared the twigs and sticks with his feet. He also used his staff to as a makeshift broom to clear the pebbles and rocks on the ground.

Trine lowered her head. She felt so weak, so vulnerable. Even after all this time, she was still not strong enough to harness the astral fissure's power without losing all of her energy. How could she get the next few powers of the fissures if she ventured alone, without the care of her allies? Could she even see the man she cared for at this point? The hand that rested on her stomach clenched tightly, the thought of breaking her promise upsetting her.

Trine glanced up at Maxi to apologize, but he spoke first. "Hey, partner. You don't have to be so down." He gave her a reassuring smile. "You dealt with that hole, it's a mission accomplished. Just rest here, you needed it."

"Maxi…" Her eyes glanced down at the fist that rested on her stomach. He was too nice for his own good. She looked up at him with a sterner face. "I have to tell you two something."

The pirate carefully laid her down against the log. Haoran knelt down beside her to see if she was faring better. He reached up and felt her forehead. The fever was subsiding. Before Haoran could speak, Trine raised her hand to get their attention. With a deep breath, the woman told them everything she kept within herself. How she needed the astral fissure to survive, or else the Astral Chaos will consume her soul, killing her

How she suddenly remembered who she was, and where she gave her farewell to the man she promised to come back one day.

The constant pounding of her headache and her life depending on harnessing the fissure's powers were vital for her to survive, as she knew Zasalamel had spoken to her for a reason. There was something she had yet to uncover, and after gaining the strength to defy the Astral Chaos, she could finally come back to the man she left behind. Trine closed her eyes when she was finished. She was still low on energy.

There was a long duration of silence. When Trine opened her eyes, Maxi gave her a slight nod.

"Okay…" The pirate casually shrugged his broad shoulders. "Well, I got no reason to doubt you after what I just saw. You'd proven that some rumors I find a joke were actually _real_..."

"Agreed. I've seen some bizzare things in my life, but nothing like that…" Haoran paused, and placed his hand on her shoulder, squeezing it. "How are you feeling?"

"Not good…" Trine glanced up at them with a sad smile. "I've overextended myself. I'm sorry if I'm slowing you two down."

"Don't apologize, Trine." Maxi gave him a comforting smile. "The mission's done, so you may as well rest up here. I'll go ahead and check if the road ahead is safe for us to pass through."

"I'll go replenish our water supply. There's a riverbank nearby, and the travelers usually refill their bottles on that place." Haoran rummaged through his bag and took out a handful of bite-sized cakes. "Trine, some sweets should help you perk up. Help yourself."

"Thank you, Haoran." She bowed and took his gift.

The woman heard their footsteps slowly fading into nothingness. After she was done eating, she saw she was left all alone. Her blades were placed on her right. Maxi probably took it out from her hips. She was grateful she met the two of them in this journey. Trine vowed that she would never take their company for granted and cherish the memories after they would have to part ways. She would carved these memories inside her heart.

* * *

This place… snow covered every inch of the ground, outside from where she was. The rooftop was covered with ice, from what she could see on the window. The woman didn't feel cold. When she averted her gaze, she saw she was sitting on a fireplace nearby, keeping her warm.

Was she… back home?

Two large hands rested on her shoulders, keeping her in place. "Don't move."

It was the voice of the man she cared for. When she glanced up, she could only see a silhouette, which made her heart drop.

"This is just another dream…"

"Even so, will you not take advantage of it?"

The figure removed his hands on her shoulders as he moved to stand in front of her. Even if his face was pure black, Trine took it as a face of concern. A small smile curved on her lips as she felt her heart flutter. After all this time, he could still add warmth in her lonely heart.

"I'll remember your face soon. I promise you that."

* * *

The strong force in the forest suddenly disappeared. There was no sign of Azwel arriving in Bhubaneswar. The man in black narrowed his eyes, someone took care of the astral fissure. He motioned his subordinates to follow him.

Deep within the forest, he could see a large opening. Stopping in his tracks, he saw a lone woman resting against the log. The crimson outfit that snugged fitly on her frame didn't seem like she was part of the Qualifiers. Her scarlet hair obscured her face, the strands of her hair were slightly sticking on her face. Only a strip of her thighs were exposed on her current position, and the glow of the moonlight showed battle scars.

When his eyes glossed over to the weapon that shone from the moonlight, he felt the tip of his hair rise.

Scharfricter.

A cursed sword that sapped the wielder's soul. A former member of The Twelve managed to suppress its deceptive soul and turn it into just a creepy looking sword. If she possessed the same dual sabers, it could only mean one thing.

No… This was impossible.

His mouth felt dry. He must focus on the mission ahead. Pushing his thoughts aside, he took a few steps forward.

"The astral fissure is gone… and I think I spy the culprit." The man in black turned to his subordinates. "What happened here?"

"I do not know. However, something feels off…" The man with dark skin stared at the woman ahead.

Voices. She could hear voices. Trine slowly opened her eyes then shook her head, trying to shake off her drowsiness. She saw a bunch of feet, but they were not Maxi's and Haoran's. All of them had similar shades of black, and they were a total of six, meaning she was in danger. Startled, she rose from the ground, quickly taking hold of her blades and connecting it as one.

"It seems like we woke her up." The woman bore her gaze at her. The eye that weren't obscured by her eyepatch sent shivers down her spine. "Whatever happened here, it may be something in their possession." She unsheated her sword and shield. "We must deal with this at once!"

Trine readied her stance. Adrenaline ran through her veins. Maxi and Haoran were out of sight, and with her weakened state, she couldn't fight them all at once. Were they part of the Qualifiers?

The man in black stepped forward and raised his arm to block his subordinate. "You stay back."

The woman with intense gaze scowled, but she heeded his order. She and the other guy distanced themselves. They could only hear their leader from where they stood.

As the man in black readied his weapon, a chill ran down on her spine. The blades… they were connected as one like her! A gnawing feeling emerged from the pit of her stomach. Who was he and why did they have a similar weapon?! She glanced back at his eye. He stared at him sternly, and he was ready to attack. There was no point of questioning him as Trine mentally prepared herself.

"I know you possess unnatural power." He closed his eye, and the grip on his weapon tightened. "Show it to me, if you dare!" He opened his eye, and Trine felt her heart sank.

The olive eye that wasn't covered in the eyepatch was filled with conflict. With his back turned towards his subordinate, he masked it with his unwavering voice. She may find some answers if she let their weapons speak first. Steeling herself, she ran forward with a battle cry. Her swipe of her blade was met with his own swing of his blade. Trine twisted her body around to strike his torso, but he performed a similar movement, their blades vibrating from impact. Her eyes widened. This man… it was like she was fighting herself, but with less grace.

"Your existence is a danger." He jumped back and parried another swing of her blade. The man in black stabbed his blade forward, but was deflected by her weapon. She performed the same attack and he swung his sword to divert her saber away.

Her brows furrowed as she hopped back. "What do you mean?!" Trine raised her dual sabers to guard the slashes of his swords. She received no answer from him, only another swing of his dual sabers.

The fight continued on, their strikes always deflected by each other. Trine's wit and grace had narrowly evaded his attacks, while the man in black effortlessly stepped away from the jabs and stabs of her weapon. Both using the same fighting technique, it was no surprise they were standing toe-to-toe with each other.

"That woman, why did she have the same style as him?" The woman with intense gaze muttered.

"There's no record of her being part of the organization. Her clothes doesn't bear the organization's badge." The tan man crossed his arms, his eyes never leaving the battle. "Keep observing her. That's our order."

"Affirmative."

Steel against steel. Their arms wavered with every clash. Brows furrowed, brown eyes locked towards olive eye, blades battled in strength on piercing through one's guard. Trine gritted her teeth while the man in black stared back at her with a cool face.

They stepped back, and slashed their blades. Their weapons clang from impact, slightly staggering them. After a second of recovery, they strike again. Trine growled, and aimed to kick his torso, but was guarded by his dual sabers. She fought through his strength, ignorant of the open view of what's underneath her garb. The man in black averted his face away from the view ahead, trying to hide the rising heat from his cheeks.

She still hadn't learned her lesson about wearing something more underneath, did she?

"I am not going to win like this..." Placing his weight on the arm that pit against her foot, he moved it to the left, then narrowly ducked the slash of her scarlet blade, almost cutting a strand of his gray hair. The man in black swung his blade downward, deflecting another sideward slash of her blade. Trine lost her bearings and placed her weight on her right foot to not lose balance. Instead of being beheaded or stabbed here and there, the man in black stepped back, leaving her to recover.

"What…?" Expecting to receive a fatal blow, Trine glanced up to see him only stare at her, his stanced relaxed.

Why didn't he delivered the final blow? She raised her hand, an attempt to reach up to him, but she let it falter and fall limp. The conflicted look on his face dissipated, and was replaced with a serious look.

"Hmph… Not bad…" The man in black placed his weapon away. "You still know how to fight well."

"It's what I remembered." She carefully spoke those words. The woman didn't want to speak more than necessary, especially with the people behind him listening. "That's what my mother taught me…" At least, from what she could recall was what she wanted to say next.

The mention of her mother made his jaw slacken. No… This was Sanna's prized daughter. The impossible had happened: Trine came back to life. He closed his mouth and pushed the thoughts away. It was time for them to regroup back to base.

His subordinates approached him. The tan man faced him. "Are you certain?"

"Is it really wise to let an outsider get away?" The woman with intense gaze pointed at Trine. "What if she is in fact under Lord Azwel's?"

"I am _not_ associated with Lord Azwel!" Trine stepped forward with a scowl. The jabbering of the woman was getting on her nerves. "I don't even know what the hell are the Qualifers are talking about! For your information, miss? _They_ attacked me as well, before you arrived here!"

The man in black gave his subordinate a scolding glare, which made her frown and fall back.

The man's action washed her anger away and greatly confused Trine. Given the circumstances, wouldn't it be more logical to believe her than signal her to shut up?

The man in black turned back to Trine. "I have obtained all the information I need."

Her eyes narrowed at his statement. There must be something that he knew about herself. She closed her eyes to breathe, then open them. It was time to ask, she couldn't waste any more time.

"Who are you?"

He said nothing, but his pupil quivered. Behind those cold, olive eye was… sadness. His brow creased and jaw clenched, but he didn't move. The way he looked at her, the same swordsmanship skills, how he held back at the fight… Were they allies at one point? Was she also part of his team? So many questions to ask, but only one came out from her lips.

"Do I… know you?"

"Hey! What's going on here?!" Footsteps approached them. Deep within the forest revealed a man that she knew all too well.

Trine turned towards the direction of the voice. "Maxi?!"

The man in black glanced at his subordinates. "Fall back."

"Sir!"

Realizing they were going to leave, that _he _left without answering her, Trine tried to ran towards them. "Wait! Hey!"

They fled from the forest as Maxi rushed towards her. Trine gazed at the direction they run off. How the man in black looked at her with pain in his eye opened a million questions in her head. She wanted to talk to him more, but alas, fate wasn't on her side.

Maxi stared long and hard at her. There were no traces of a flesh wound on her body. "You okay? What was their deal?" He averted his gaze before facing her again. "And what was with their weird getup?"

"I'm fine." Trine shook her head. "I don't know, but one of them… One of them has the same swordsmanship as me. He uses two sabers connected as one like mine, and how he wielded his sword is how I use mine."

"What?!"

Footsteps grew louder as someone approached them. It was Haoran, bottles hugged against his body.

"I found some water…" He trailed off, noticing the tense atmosphere from his companions. "Did something happen while I was gone?"

"Yeah." Maxi nodded at him. "Trine was attacked by some freaky group."

"A freaky group? Like bandits?"

"No. They didn't look like bandits…" Maxi breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, at least everyone's safe, especially Trine."

"Are you alright to continue moving forward, Trine?" Haoran's face was filled with concern.

"Yes, thank you." She gave him a small nod.

Haoran distributed the water bottle and all of them opened their bottles to drink the fresh water. Trine felt her body relax as the cool sensation flowed through her body, but it was not enough to cease the constant reeling of her mind. Would she be able to see him again? Would she have the opportunity to get the answers from him?

"I think our way ahead's safe, but we should stay alert." Maxi stared at the road ahead with a scowl. "Those freaks may come back."

"We will be on alert." Haoran's voice was gentle but filled with determination.

"Right." That was all Trine could say. She placed her hand against her chest. Thinking about the man in black had stirred something inside her heart.

Why was her heart heavy all of the sudden?

* * *

There was no doubt in his mind. That woman was _her_.

The trip back to the headquarters were silent. Azwel didn't show up at all, and it was thanks to their person of interest. According to her, she was attacked by Qualifiers before they found her. His subordinates had raised no questions on the encounter, especially when they heard her question if she knew him.

"Sir Groh, do you wish to reside to an inn?" Dion had inquired.

The woman, Natalie, said nothing.

"That won't be necessary." The man in black didn't spare a glance at him.

Groh didn't indulge his thoughts on his subordinates for two reasons: it was not related to their mission, and this was personal. They had no right to express their opinions on this matter.

That outsider- no, Groh couldn't bear to call her an outsider. Her skin was pale, but not the color of a dead man walking. Her scarlet outfit, it was still the same articles of clothing she wore the last time they parted ways. The same scarlet hair, the same bright, brown eyes, the same painful frown on her lips when she was upset… He meant what he said, her existence was a danger. But what if he could utilize her strength on tracking Azwel down? What if he could convince her to work together with her?

When the time comes, would she be able to accept the fact that he, too, was tainted by evil? That he was a malfested? An outsider who eradicates fellow outsiders? Would there be a happy ending when his mission was finished? Would he still end his life after seeing her again? Would he fulfill his own promise to her?

Groh clenched his fists as he tried to maintain his composure. The mission was what mattered right now. After fulfilling his objective, he could discuss what decisions he would take with Trine.

Trine…

The man in black felt a stirring inside his chest. He chose to ignore the tugging of his heartstrings. He let his eyelids dropped as they keep moving forward. Just for tonight, he would focus on what he was currently feeling, to let it all out so tomorrow he could regain his composure for the mission.

Just for tonight, Groh would lay his feelings down and yearn to be with Trine again, to indulge in the memories of the time spent together, where they had nothing to worry about. To recall how she felt beneath his arms again…

As he glanced up to the night sky above, a thought struck him like lightning.

If the organization allowed him to tackle his mission on his own free will, he would be able to have a mutual alliance with her. Only him and Trine working together. Alone.

Alone… where he could pour out his bottled feelings of longing towards her. Without her companions, whoever that man was. Without his own subordinates, especially Natalie, who enraged Trine. Alone, where he could be himself, just for a short moment...

No.

He needed to focus on the mission ahead. These silly thoughts was making him lose grasp of reality. Only time could show him if there was a chance. Considering his strings of bad luck, he may never had a chance at all.

Just for tonight. This current night, he would permit himself to dwell in his longing to be with her again, to let it all out when he resides to his room, all alone.

* * *

Trine twisted the knob of the door, leading to a room to stay for the night. Maxi took the shoulder on paying for the room, and since there were only two rooms available, Maxi and Haoran stayed together so Trine could had her privacy. She took a deep breath, then stepped inside.

They'd reached the nearby village after a long night of just walking. Bodies exhausted and demanding rest, Maxi suggested they should rest at a nearby inn, and they both agreed.

Trine closed the door behind her and locked it. They were just finished eating a feastful dinner, which Haoran decided to pay in full. The woman was thankful they didn't encounter any other hindrances along the way.

She approached the side of her bed and took out her weapon, placing it on the wall nearby. Trine sat down on the bed and removed her boots. Another heavy sigh escaped her lips. The constant stirring of her chest was affecting her morale. That man in black, who was he?

Trine let her body fall back on the comforts of her bed, her eyes locked at the ceiling above. He'd barely spoke a line, but his voice was deep and smooth. If she could judge people's age by their appearance, he was younger than both Maxi, Haoran and even herself.

That's what she thought, anyway. She _was in_ her twenties, right?

The woman kept recalling how he sounded. How he told her that her existence was a danger… He knew something that she didn't. But it wasn't the only thing that didn't sit well with her. It was his voice… His olive eye that bore his pain at her…

No. _He_ couldn't be the man she was looking for.

Trine rose from her bed, realizing she didn't placed her small bag near her weapon yet. Speaking of which, other than taking out finger foods and storing items, she didn't check out what _was _inside her bag. Pulling her bag wide open, she rummaged inside. Nothing particularly interesting stood out until she saw something that sparkled when she moved the small whetstone aside.

Taking it out, it was a worn piece of an accessory. It was tattered and damaged, and there was a blue piece that was attached on it. Taking a closer look, there was a faint word scribbled by a marker behind it.

_Sanna_

She had… something from her mother? And didn't this look _awfully_ familiar?

Trine shook her head as she placed it back on the bag. No, she was too tired and stressed to even think rationally. She needed a long rest. Tomorrow would be another smooth day, she reassured herself.

She laid back down and closed her eyes.

Trine never stopped thinking about the man in black. His pained expression was glued in her mind before her consciousness faded.

* * *

Notes:

-Hopefully I wrote the fight scenes right. Don't wanna make it too stale.

-As this being canon divergent, few or more scenes will be heavily altered to add more content on novelizing this story mode.

-I added more friendship fluff between Trine, Maxi and Haoran because being the first two people that accompanied the Conduit, they deserve to be blessed with a strong bond of steel.

-Connect two and two together. Hoping I did the dash of angst justice. :")


	6. There Was Nowhere Safe To Go

Trine woke up without remembering her dream, but her longing for the man she cared for only grew stronger day by day. It was better to wake up with a heavy heart than lose sleep because of the nightmare, right? Shaking her head, she rose from the bed to prepare for the day ahead. The woman didn't know what time it was, and she didn't really care. She must be focused on what's ahead right now.

And that meant ignoring the constant tugging of her heartstrings, and pushing the image of the man in black away for the time being.

* * *

The trio left the villages and traversed through a path that lead them to the next city. At the brightest hour of the day, they'd arrived at the port of Dhaka, their final destination.

Haoran bowed his head, his face painted with an apologetic look.. "Forgive me, but this is where I must take my leave."

Maxi raised his eyebrow, the corner of his lips tugging downward. "Where are you off to in such a rush?"

"I have heard rumors of strange happenings in my hometown of Yangguang." Haoran lowered his head, his lips curling into a deep frown. "My brother is still there, and I worry for his safety…"

"Yangguang is pretty far from here, right?" Trine placed her hand on his shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze. "I hope when you return, your brother is safe and sound."

"I understand, Haoran." Maxi patted his back. "It's been short, but a whole lot of fun. Take care out there, and make sure to kick them weirdos' asses." He gave him a wide grin.

Haoran couldn't help but smile back. He pulled them into a group hug. "I hope to spend time with you two again."

Maxi chuckled, and tightened the embrace. "Oh, we definitely will. When we reunite, we should travel through seas this time!"

"I agree." Smiling, Trine was the first one to break the hug. "Goodbye, Haoran, and good luck."

"A safe journey to you two as well." Haoran bowed his head, a bright smile etched on his lips. "Farewell."

Maxi and Trine headed to the right, while Haoran journeyed to the left. Traversing through a busy crowd, Maxi heaved out a sigh.

"Man, I'm missing Haoran already."

Trine gave her a small smile. Mere seconds the warrior left, it already felt like they lost someone important. "I do wish he stayed longer as well, but he had his hometown to get back to. Let's just hope he'll be able to see his brother alive."

"He gotta be. It'll be painful to hear the news, especially after what we've been through."

The woman gave her a small nod, and the conversation came to a halt. The gossip of the townsfolk buzzed in their ears, preventing them to start another topic altogether. Nothing was really note looking out for, it was just the daily conversations of what was the hottest item in town.

When they were close to the docks, Maxi stopped in his tracks.

"Trine, I have to report to my employer. You go and wait by my ship." The pirate pointed his finger to the east. "Head to the docks, you can't miss it." He stepped back and gave her a wave. "I'll give you your cut of the reward there. See ya."

"Alright. Thanks, Maxi." With a smile, they parted.

Trine followed Maxi's directions and went straight to the docks. She eyed the ships that were parked near the docks, admiring its sculpture. One of these days, she would give sailing another chance. The woman felt her pouch. It was too light now. Her eyes narrowed at the sudden thought. How the hell did she even had some coins in the first place?

Her musings were disrupted when a rough voice called her out.

"Who're you? Whaddya want?" The man was bare on top. He had a short, brown hair, and his face was lacking any sign of stubble.

She arrived at the right dock. Trine told him that Maxi said to wait for him here.

"What's going on?"

A tall man emerged from afar. He was bulky, and the red bandanna that was wrapped around his head stood out.

"Oh, hey Kyam. This weirdo just turned up. Says she's got business with Maxi."

Weirdo? Really? Trine tried to hide the irritation that threatened to emerge from her face.

"That so?" Kyam turned to face her. "Guess that means Maxi trusts her."

"Looks that way." The topless man crossed his arms. "If the cap'n likes ya, ya must be pretty tough." He grabbed the spear behind his back. "So how about you show us how tough?"

"Hmm," Kyam had a face of reluctance at first, but soon unsheathed his blade. "Very well. We will test yer trustworthiness."

Trine readied her weapon and gave them a small nod. "Don't hold back. Let's make our weapons speak for us."

* * *

It was a short spar, but the weight placed on each strike was heavy. The pirates had admired how she delivered her swings and slashes with grace. Despite wielding a creepy-looking red dual sabers, the way her slender limbs move and fold was with utmost delicacy. The pirates yielded when their weapons was swiped away from their hands, and the woman gave them a respectful bow.

Kyam clapped his hands. "That was a fine show, matey."

"Thanks." Trine gave them a warm smile. The weirdo comment forgotten, their eyes stared at her with respect. Gone were the judgemental stares of reluctance, which was better to see. "I'm glad to know that I'd proved my skills with my blade."

"Hey, I'm back." Maxi stepped in and spread his arms. "Where's the warm welcome for your cap'n?" He showed his pearly-white teeth.

"Welcome back, brother!" A man from Maxi's crew gave him a hug. He was dark in complexion, and had a black eyepatch on his right eye. He, too, was bare on top.

"You'ad us all worried." Kyam approached Maxi. "So, what's the story with this landlubber?"

Trine was about to say something but Maxi slung his arm around her shoulders and gave her a slight shake.

"This, crew, is my savior and hero!" Chuckling, he ruffled Trine's hair then stepped back. "We gotta thank Trine here for making sure our employer's happy."

"Gee, you're way _too_ happy about this." Trine stared at him with a wry smile as she scratched the back of her head. "I'm just doing what I have to do, you know?"

Kyam glanced at Maxi, his face weary and brows knotted. "What'd I say 'bout lookin' before ya leap, Maxi? Remember what happened last time?!"

Last time? Her ears perked up as she tried to suppress the amused grin forming on her lips.

"Oh, quit your bellyachin'." Maxi waved his hand, dismissing his crew's worry with a smirk. "It all worked out in the end, didn't it?"

Kyam exhaled through his nose as he closed his eyes. He was probably used to Maxi's flight of fancy by now, like how she was quick to adapt to Maxi's friendliness.

"Besides, Trine is someone we can trust." Maxi glanced at her, then back at Kyam. "I'll be toast if I didn't cross paths with her."

"Sure, sure." Kyam gave him a nod, his face still filled with suspicion.

Trine couldn't help but slip out a small chuckle. The banter between the captain and the crew had shown how much they'd been through by now, which made her inclined to trust them as well.

"So you know, my crew's my family." Maxi stared at her with a large smile on his face. It really showed how much he cared for them. "They look rough, but they're a good bunch."

"I believe that." A grin formed on her lips.

"You said you were looking for a thing-an, um…" Maxi tapped his foot on the floor. "Astral fissure, was it?"

The woman gave him a nod.

"As a man of my word, I'll help you." Maxi went down to his knees and bowed his head.

"Uhh..." Trine could only stare at him with a knotted brow.

"There you go again, leapin' before ya go lookin'!" Kyam planted his palm on his face as he shook his head. When he glanced up to look at them, Maxi only gave him a sheepish grin. "Bah!" He shook his head again. "So… What's this 'astral fissure' business anyways?"

"I'll tell you once everyone's here. I need the whole crew on board with this."

Kyam sighed and said nothing. Their previous experience had given him trust issues to people that weren't part of the crew, _especially_ to beautiful maidens. But since Maxi had the final say, and the captain himself saved the crew after he stuck his nose on where he didn't belong, Kyam had no choice but to be the worrywart for their sake.

This landlubber had accompanied Maxi on his mission, after all, and considering how the captain saw her in high regard, he would take his time on trusting her. The last time they brought a woman along, they were almost heading to their death.

Maxi turned to face Trine and handed her a small, brown pouch. "Here's your share of the bounty, by the way."

Trine took them with a small bow. "Thanks again, Maxi."

"No worries." Smiling, he surveyed his surroundings, taking note of who was currently on board. Kyam himself didn't say anything bad happening while he was away, so the crew should be okay when they come back. "Anyway, it's gonna take a while to get ready, so do what you gotta do in that time."

"The city's got a lot of shops and some great places to eat." Kyam gave her a nod. "Why not check 'em out? Dhaka is a city of trade and commerce, after all."

"I see." Trine pondered on what to ask next. "How long does it take to get ready?"

"Well, since some of us are currently dealing with clients as well, probably a week or so." Kyam shrugged. "Like cap'n, we hunt for work of all kinds. After we're done, we sail to the next location and enjoy ourselves."

"If you want to take some rest, I can provide you a room in our ship." Maxi paused, then tried to suppress his laughter when Trine gave him a suspicious look. "Don't worry, the room is unoccupied, and you'll have it all for yourself."

Kyam shook his head, then faced her. "We have a separate room for each of us, but some of our crew prefer to have a company when they sleep. We clean it regularly, and we let our guests crash in for the night if they needed to."

"Well then, thank you very much for your kindness." Trine bowed her head with a small smile, burying the annoyance she had towards Maxi. "I'll take your offer if I'm not taking a side job as well to pass the time."

* * *

The shops in Dhaka was filled with busy folks who indulge in the products they sell. Food, clothing, irons, they had it all. Surveying on what to buy next, something caught her eye. There was a brown sling bag hanging on the shop, it was larger in size than her current pouch but still portable. She approached the shop and saw it was made of leather.

Trine heard a rather unnerving laugh, and when she turned her head, it was the shop owner. He was covered in a rich black cloak, his hood obscuring what he truly looked like behind the shadows. There was a purple cloth that covered his nose and mouth. A happy customer gave him some gold coins and left with their purchase.

"Welcome." The hooded figure turned to her. "What are you buying?"

Trine was unnerved by his appearance, but to see him being flocked by a variety of customers, he seemed to be an honest merchant. She told him she wanted the leather sling bag.

"Is that all, stranger?"

She was about to say yes, but decided to browse more on what his shop offers. In front of her was an array of clothes. Beside the group of folded clothes were other necessities like bottles of water, rations, whetstones, and pocket knives.

"Actually, I'd like to buy this cloak and dagger." Trine placed the specified items in front of them.

The shopkeeper chuckled, the way he laughed sent goosebumps on her skin. "Stranger, you'd picked a great choice."

Trine only gave him a small smile. She was still creeped out about him. Even in broad daylight, she still couldn't get a good grasp of his face, only the ocean hues of his pupils. After he told her the total price, Trine handed him the small bag of coins and took a step back. As much as she wanted to hightail and run, that was disrespectful and would rather just leave normally.

The shop owner said his farewell, and Trine knew it wouldn't be the last time she would encounter him.

"Come back anytime."

* * *

The woman continued to survey her surroundings, memorizing the names of the shop that piqued her interest. When exhaustion started to become unbearable, she decided to visit the inn that was only a few steps away from where she was. When she stepped inside, someone stood out from her point of view. There was a tall man with a red bandanna tied around his head. The way it was worn around his head and the shades of his bandanna, she had no doubt it was him.

"Kyam?"

He turned around, and his face was painted with bewilderment. "Trine? What're ya doin' here?"

He did say to explore the area and try out some of the popular restaurants. He probably thought she was planning to spend the night in this inn. Trine waved her hand and quickly dismissed the idea of spending the night here unless it was convenient for her when she was currently taking care of a job.

"A job, huh?" Kyam stared at her with a hum. "Yer' not the type to stand by and spend time sitting pretty, I see."

Trine wanted to tell him she, too, was a pirate, but decided to just wait for him to speak his mind.

"There's a merchant guild that needed a guard. It's located in Bengalese city, near the edge of wetlands. They're trying to repair a water gate but they were constantly interrupted by bandits." Kyam crossed his arms. "If yer interested, talk to the Dhaka Merchant across this building."

"Alright." She gave him a small bow. "I'll be heading off now. I'll see you later in the dock."

"Wait."

"Hm?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Cap'n Maxi said ya saved his hide in Bhubaneswar. Without ya, he would fail his mission, he says." Kyam took a deep breath, and offered her a small smile. "I'll place my trust in ya."

"Thank you." Her face softened. "Although, Maxi saved me as well. He did a lot, as well as our companion who parted ways with us to head back home." A soft chuckle escaped her lips. "He's one altruistic man, and I'm grateful I'd accepted his offer for the job."

Kyam shook his head. He was probably imagining the wide, idiotic grin Maxi was currently showing to him when he comes back.

With another words of farewell, Trine left the inn and headed to the certain merchant guild.

* * *

The port she arrived at were filled with people who took care of the trade ships, who contained the goods delivered for this city. The trade ships traveled from the neighboring tributary of the great Ganges River.

The development of a land route was unfortunately slow and lagging behind because of the poor decision only having a mere wooden path for navigation, which stretched across marshy expanse that surrounded the city. The poor maintenance of the path was thanks to the conflux of many twisting streams and canals that were hard to reach. This resulted in poor traffic and various delays of delivery.

It was what the merchant from Dhaka told her as they traversed on the said path themselves.

Trine was slow and careful when taking her steps. One wrong move and she could meet her end.

"First time on a wooden road? Be sure to watch your footing." The merchant's tone was amused at how she was quick on adapting to how she moved her feet.

Trine stared at the merchant and gave him a nod. "Yes."

She was hired to guard over the repair work of this road. Once that it was over, she would be paid and the transportation will be much better. If said bandits showed up, she could just teach them a lesson about messing with the innocent civilians who were doing their jobs.

The path ended abruptly at a large sandbar. Trine noticed some materials, probably for the bridge for the path ahead, had been abandoned and washed downstream.

"Ugh, I didn't think the damage would be this bad…" The merchant shook his head, his brows creased when he closed his eyes. "Well, get to work, everyone."

"Aye!" Came from the workers.

"Keep a sharp eye out for trouble." The merchant crossed his arms. "Everyone's scared of the bandits said to roam this area. They robbed the workers and drive them away from repairing the problem."

The merchant heaved out a heavy breath through his nose, then turned to face Trine. "Last month, the watergate broke down and caused a heavy flood, grinding the trade into a halt. And with the brigands messing with the workers, only a handful of progress had been made."

"I see…" Trine cupped her chin as she observed the current condition of the path. One worker went ahead and examined the damage.

"How does it look?" The merchant walked closer to the worker.

"Well, parts of the entire road were swept away, so we'll need to bring in lumber. It'll be ten days at the earliest."

"I see. I was afraid that would be a case…" He heaved out a deep breath. "Well, I have a business in the city to attend to. Continue your work."

"Aye!"

Trine saw him leave the area. Weapon ready at her right hand, she kept a close eye on the damaged area, her senses sharp for any potential danger.

When night came, so was trouble. A group of men emerged from the shadows, and the workers were quick to froze in place.

"...Here in search of more easy pickings?" One man asked his companion.

Trine didn't give them a chance to converse as she walked towards them, revealing her scarlet blades. They were the brigands that had been impending the repair work, and this was the last time they would come in here.

"Hey you!" Another man from the brigand raised his sword towards her. "You're in our way!"

Trine readied her stance, a smirk forming on her lips. "I'm the guard here, after all. I'm suppose to get in your way."

His eyes went wide from shock, then quickly narrowed as his face turned red. "You cocky lil' shit!"

With a growl, the bandit ran towards her, his sword raised high to slash her down. She sidestepped to the left, and saw his companion swinging his broadsword in her direction. She swung in the opposite direction, their blades clashing. They stepped back, and both ran forward to strike. Trine had the upper hand as she spun her blade forward, a quicker attack than another swing of his broadsword. Her opponent fell down on his bum, his hand clutching his wounded stomach.

Glancing back, the woman quickly raised her sword to deflect an overhead slash of her opponent's sword. Trine performed the same spin of her blade when her opponent attempted to chopped her head off again, which made her opponent stagger and cough blood from the slashes he received on his torso.

Realizing they lost, the brigands who didn't stepped forward to fight only stood in their places, their legs shaking from fear. When the two brigands rose from the ground, someone yelled at them to run, and they fled, leaving their weapons behind. Trine scoffed at their actions, her eyes lingered on the sparkle of the blades. They were probably stolen from unfortunate warriors as well, judging from the fact that they didn't bother going back to retrieve them. If the weapon was _indeed_ yours, a warrior will _never_ flee without his blade. They were a disgrace, all of them.

The workers thanked Trine, and the progress had been resumed. When it was midnight, everyone left, and Trine decided to come back to the same inn to stay the night.

* * *

It was the seventh day of guarding the repairs. The brigands didn't came back, and the progress was consistent. When it was time to turn in for the night, Trine decided to linger longer from where she stood. Donned in her newly bought cloak, she took out the accessory her mother owned from her bag. The moonlight was bright enough to provide light on inspecting this peculiar item further.

Trine felt her heart sank. This was similar to the eyepatch the group in black wore the other night. Her connection with the man with silver hair was stronger than she thought, and it filled her heart more with dread. There was no doubt, Sanna used to worked with _their _organization, and she missed her chance on learning more about her mother, and potentially, her locked memories.

Wearing this eyepatch would look so out of place, especially with its archaic features.

She needed to buy a string and turn this into a necklace. To wear something that was from her mother, it felt like Sanna was always there to help her give the strength she needed to defy her fate, and Trine would like to keep it that way.

If only she could say the same thing to Tait and Sig...

Releasing a deep breath, Trine started venturing back to the inn she was residing. A nice, warm bath would be great to help her focus for the day tomorrow.

* * *

On the tenth day of her guard duty, the repairs for the path were complete, and the land route was opened again. The merchant was pleased, and so were the townsfolk. The rate of the trade should hasten in pace, and there would be no more brigands to worry about.

Trine decided to head back to the docks, and to see if everyone in the crew was present. Maxi was probably worried about her prolonged absence right now, but she was sure Kyam told him about her job as a guard on the repair.

The place she was venturing was crowded with people. Today would seem to be the best day to get the hottest item in town. The woman wandered aimlessly through the sea of crowds. Amidst the hustle and bustle of the people, a certain trading house piqued her interest. As Trine made her way towards her destination, an old man approached her.

"You hear 'bout them Qualifiers, kid?"

"Qualifiers?" She knew, of course, but she feigned ignorance. They were the people she encountered by the astral fissure, with Maxi and Haoran. "I think I heard rumors about them…" Rumors were rumors, after all. She could pretend she knew something in order to gain more information.

Alas, it was a mistake.

"Them Qualifiers be traveling 'round doing good deeds." The old man's voice was giddy and thrilled. Trine felt her stomach knot from disgust. "They fight demons, cure the sick, and do be performing miracles whenever they go! Their leader's a right charitable person. Helps anyone, doesn't matter who."

Trine did her best to hide her reaction from him. These Qualifiers sure had a way with unsuspecting humans, they do good deeds up front to hide whatever they planned to do with the astral fissures behind the curtains. The deception made her want to vomit her lunch right in front of his sorry face.

"Them Qualifiers be a shining light in a world that be gettin' gloomier day by day!" The old man spoke with pride, like a proud father witnessing his son achieve the impossible. She gritted her teeth at such reaction, and masked it with a bitter smile.

"So…" He gave her a smile that ebs malicious intent. "I do be gatherin' donations to support 'em. How much you gonna donate to the cause?" He held out his hand in front of her.

Trine was about to lash out a sarcastic remark but a voice called her attention.

"There ya are! Been lookin' for ya. Cap'n got something you'll wanna hear." It was the crew with a short, brown hair. He ushered her to follow him.

Maxi? So everyone was back now. The woman gave him a nod, and they both left, leaving the fooled old man alone.

"Oi! Where you going?! I ain't finished!"

Trine was already finished talking to him after he complimented the Qualifiers. She didn't wanna waste more time with this foolishly blind old man.

* * *

"Ya heard o' Yangguang? It's a port in Ming. Recently, no one's been able to get in or outta the port there, I 'eard." Kyam announced to everyone.

They were gathered back in the docks. Maxi was standing beside her, while the others were nearby. The news about Yangguang made her blood run cold as sweat rolled down her face. Haoran… Did he made it back safely?

One of the crews asked where did Kyam manage to get the news. Trine didn't bother whipping her head on the direction of the voice as her mind was only filled about Haoran's safety. What if he didn't make it? What if he turned into a malfested?

"The info came from a reliable source. They say the place is covered in a red mist, and it mighta had somethin' to do with an epidemic or somethin'. Been a lotta trouble with crime there, too."

Red mist, epidemic… No, it couldn't be…

"Haoran said something strange was going down in Yangguang…" Maxi crossed his arms, his face stern. "Judging by what we found out, there's a good chance an astral fissure's appeared there."

The thought of Haoran heading straight for a maelstrom, defenseless and weak to fight back… And the thought of him doing a massacre on where he lived because he was now a malfested hungry for blood... It sent a chill down her spine. Trine squeezed her eyes shut, hoping that Haoran was safe and well.

She felt a hand gently squeeze her shoulder. Trine glanced up to see Maxi giving her a comforting hand. "We'll take ya to Yangguang, if ya like. Quicker than going by land."

"Do you-"

The woman was cut off by Maxi. "Of course." He gave her his signature wide grin. "Haoran's our friend, and _you're _my savior. You'd did more than making my client happy. Let's sail over there and help Haoran deal with this mess." He paused, then moved his hand to pat her head. "Haoran's a strong guy. He can probably take on a malfested or two."

With a small nod, she slipped out a small smile. "Thanks, Maxi. I really appreciate that."

"No problem, partner. You can count on me."

* * *

Everyone went their ways to finalize their preparations There were a few people who went on ahead. Trine was still surveying the town, trying to see if there was something she still needed to buy. She saw Maxi talking to a man of a rather small stature, his hands were making exaggerated gestures, which only meant he was asking Maxi for help. When their conversation was done, the woman approached Maxi. She was done pondering on what else to bring.

"Oh, hey, Trine." Maxi gave her a small wave.

"Hey Maxi. Who was that guy you were talking to?"

"Him? Uh…" Maxi averted his gaze away, a troubled look form on his face. After a few seconds, he faced her again. "Well, you see, he sort of had a job for me."

"What's the job's about?"

"That old man's actually a pretty big deal, though you could never tell from the looks of him." A small chuckle emerged from his lips. "He's always stuck his neck out for me, so I really wanna help out." His face fell back on being concerned. "It's just…"

They were set to head to Yangguang, and Maxi and crew had some matters that required their attention. Seeing his conflicted face gave her an idea on how to deal with this.

"Why don't I help you take care of this as well? Should make things easier like last time." Trine gave her a smile.

"Really?" His eyes widened and a large grin broke from his lips. "That'd be great!"

The woman let out a small laugh. She was thankful Maxi was back to his high spirits again.

"Actually, with your help, we should be able to finish the job in no time!" Pumping his fists in the air, he gazed at Trine, his grin never leaving his face, "Alright, let's go!"

* * *

Maxi and Trine headed back to the city and searched for a carriage they could rent for their job. The pirate saw various horses lined up and ready to go, and the duo approached the shop.

Trine felt her jaw detach itself from her face upon resting her eyes on the shop owner. It was the same cloaked man back in the shop! What the hell was he doing in here?

"Welcome." He pulled his cloak aside, revealing various notes plastered inside his jacket.

_**Horse Carriage:**_ _**Horse Carriage**_

_**1 Person - 50 Gold**_ _**1 Person - 100 Gold**_

_**2 People - 75 Gold**_ _**2 People - 185 Gold**_

_**One Destination Back and Forth Ride**_

"You again?" Trine narrowed her eyes. "Weren't you selling some stuff, like cloaks and daggers?"

The merchant laughed, his ocean blue eyes glinted. "Stranger, there are some secrets left uncovered. Now, what are you buying?"

"You'd seen him from before, Trine?" Maxi raised an eyebrow, his arms crossed as he tapped his foot. "He rustles my jimmies."

"As I'd said, I met him back when I was exploring Dhaka." She motioned her hand on her current garb. "Maybe he was a one-man army?"

"Beats me." With a shrug, Maxi faced the merchant. "Well, we should definitely go for the second option. How about we split the bill?"

"That's a good idea. It'll make things easier to deal with."

After they paid the merchant, they were set to travel around Central Asia. Maxi sat across Trine inside the carriage. As usual, he initiated the conversation. He didn't mind riding a horse carriage, but nothing could beat the open, fresh air from sailing the seas.

"Thanks to you offering to let me travel with you, I can finally relive the experience of spending a day on the ship again." A large smile formed on her lips.

"You're welcome, partner." He grinned in return.

Maxi continued to share the great things about traveling through sea that she would definitely enjoy, like experiencing the breeze brush past them, the sight of the never-ending blue, the cries of the seagulls as they travel to their next destination, and the best thing of all, a relaxing ride. Trine expressed her excitement as she couldn't wait to experience them soon.

The travel from Dhaka went quicker than they anticipated. An hour hadn't passed yet, and the carriage slowly came into a halt. The duo headed out and thanked the merchant.

"Come back any time." The merchant only stood there, motionless. He only stared ahead, his blue pupils unmoving.

"Something tells me I'll see him again when I head to Yangguang…" Trine rubbed her right temple.

"Either he travels _really _fast, or has the ability to teleport." Maxi shook his head. "Anyway, let's go. The sooner we deal with this, the better."

* * *

As they ventured toward another path enclosed with trees, Trine asked Maxi about the details of the job. Trudging through the enclosed space, footsteps accompanied by the crunching of crushed leaves… Trine was getting tired of seeing the same old dead place, and she couldn't wait to step foot on the ship after this ordeal was over.

"The old man told me about the troubling crime rate in the suburbs of Dhaka. It was just the norm, Dhaka was a big city, after all, but recently there has been a string of grisly murders." Maxi wiped the sweat on his brow. "Unwilling to let it go any longer, the town guard got together and tried to handle things, but apparently none of them had come back."

Trine felt a chill ran down her spine. This was no ordinary man, this was a total psycho. "That sounds dangerous. We should be careful..."

"Yeah…" Maxi took out his nunchucks and held it as they continued to walk. "The old man's tearing his hair right now in worry that things will get worse now…" A heavy sigh escaped his lips. "Even though me and him know each other, I'm still kind of shocked he asked a pirate like me to take care of bandits. I guess we'd better go-"

Their conversations were interrupted when a strange scream rang out. The duo stopped in their tracks, weapons ready as they surveyed their surroundings. In front of them, a figure jumped out from among the trees. It growled like a hungry beast, and how his eyes glow bright red was a sign this was _not_ a human at all.

"Prey… Must… kill…!" The figure howled, weapon swung around.

Maxi flicked his nose as he stepped forward. "Heh! Well look what we have here!"

The figure was accompanied by his allies that emerged from the shadows of the forest. All of them bore the same animalistic growl and the same bloodshot eyes. Their weapons were drawn, and their eyes were locked onto them.

No, they weren't total psychos. They were _monsters_.

Trine placed her hand on his shoulders and tugged his vest. "Maxi, wait. They're not human anymore."

"What?" Upon taking a closer look, he finally noticed the unusual snarling of the figure and his friends. "Eugh, these aren't your run-of-the-mill bandits! The bandits were actually malfested!"

Trine swung her weapon as she readied her stance. She decided to keep wearing her cloak, knowing that it wouldn't get too dirty. "That's probably why the guards didn't made it back home. They're dead." Her grip on the hilt tightened, the lost lives of the guards brought her blood to a boil.

"We'd better be careful dealing with them." Maxi swung his nunchucks and stood beside her. "I can't let you have all the fun, after all." He gave her a grin.

"Likewise." She smirked back at him.

They heard the figure snarl, and saw it ran towards them. Its company not far from behind him. Trine slid forward, her foot colliding against the malfested's ankle. Maxi quickly jumped in and swung his nunchucks on the malfested's torso, stunning him in his place. He moved his arms upward, flinging the malfested towards the air. He let out a battle cry and pivoted his left foot, delivering a roundhouse kick on its temple, sending his body to collide against some enemies. With a faint growl, the group of malfested stopped moving, the light in their blank eyes fading.

Trine glanced up and saw a malfested with a ring blade aiming her weapon down the back of her neck. Thinking she made a grave mistake, she heard Maxi yell and a strong breeze fluttering her hair forward-Maxi rushed in and jumped towards the enemy, a solid kick connected to the malfested's jaw.

The malfested snarled as Trine backflipped to recover. Seeing as there were still three more left, one of them had to take two for the team. She scanned the weapons of the two, seeing a longsword on what appeared to be a former farmer, and a scythe on what appeared to be a priest.

"You alright, Trine?" Maxi casted her a worried glance.

"I'm fine." Flicking a strand of her hair away, Trine stepped forward, clenching her fist on her side. "I'll focus on the dancer that turned into a malfested. Can you deal with the other two?"

"No problem." Maxi swung his nunchucks, readying his stance. "'Bout time I take two birds with one stone, in this case, my nunchakus."

"Touchè."

The duo heard a snarl and saw the malfested with a longsword raised his sword upward, aiming to slam it towards them. With a nod, the two jumped back, watching the longsword hit the ground with a loud thud. Trine threw her dual sabers forward, her blade spinning clockwise and piercing the torso of the longsword user. She rolled forward and retracted her weapon, and rolled to the right as Maxi rushed in and smacked his nunchucks against his chest. Each hit made the malfested's body spasm, a strained groan erupting from his throat.

Trine deflected the swing of the scythe, then narrowly ducked another attempt of the ring blade slicing her throat. Sandwiched between two enemies, Trine backflipped in time to evade the swing of their weapons. The scythe and the ring blade clanged upon impact, and it was the perfect moment for both Maxi and Trine to attack.

After delivering a packed punch on the malfested with a longsword, Maxi pivoted his kick to jumped towards the malfested with a scythe, leg raised to deliver another kick to the chin. Trine spun forward, placing her weight on her left foot to deliver a spinning kick of her own on the malfested with a ring blade's back. The impact caused the two malfesteds to collide, smacking their foreheads against each other.

That was enough to knock the malfesteds down.

Both of them glanced at the fallen malfested, witnessing the fade of red in their eyes. Trine sheathed her blades back on her hips, and saw that her cloak was free from bloodstains. Bodies of malfesteds pooled the area, their eyes now an empty gray. Their work was done.

"Phew… This is the first time I've taken on this many malfested." Maxi rolled his shoulders, his eyes glancing at the bodies below. "You're a real lifesaver, partner. Imagine if I hid this from you and took this job alone…"

If he did, Maxi would be part of the many victims of this epidemic. Kyam and the rest of Maxi's crew would be upset and filled with anguish.

"As long as we're traveling together, you can count on me on helping you do your job, partner." Trine gave him a reassuring smile.

His gloomy face was washed away with a small smile. He spared another glance at the view ahead, then ushered her to follow him. "Our job is done here, I guess."

They started to head back to where they left the merchant. The atmosphere of dread was something Trine never wished to be used to, but they were, especially right now.

"It'll be real bad if more malfested showed up. Maybe we should let the old man know he ought to form a group of bodyguards just in case." The furrow of his brows deepened. "And he'd better make sure they're strong."

Trine nodded in agreement. The guards that were previously sent here, they may be as well the malfested they fought. A thought popped out in her head. "Hey, partner. Do you even know _when_ the malfested showed up?"

Maxi hummed as he looked up. "They appeared last year, in 1583. No one knew where they came from, but I'm sure they're all over the world by now." A deep scowl formed on his lips. His fists clenched tightly, his knuckles turning white."They'd always wreaked havoc wherever they went. It's always disheartening to hear a tale about someone losing something or someone important because of a malfested attacking them…"

Silenced followed as they kept trudging the path forward.

"By the looks of things, I guess we'd just realized they existed last year. You said your father saved you from a malfested right? With the red eyes and those ugly growls? What year was it?"

"I…" Trine tried to recall the date she was attacked. She knew she was slightly younger, and judging from the wound on her palm, it happened just a few months ago. It may as well be on the year they found out the malfested. If what Zasalamel said was true, then it was possible that she, too, was among those malfested…

Today was 1584. She was currently twenty three, she just remembered now. If the mark on her palm didn't fully heal, as well as the faint wounds on her thighs, then her father's death was as early as last year.

And on that same year, she set off on a journey to be stronger, to gain more strength to protect the people she cared for, and then she would be able to join her beloved's job after proving her worth.

"Everything was a blur…" That was what Trine spoke after providing her thoughts to Maxi. She still left out the information about her meeting with Zasalamel to him, liked how she refrained from sharing how she had to remember her physical appearance and what weapon she wielded before he helped her get a grasp of the situation.

There was no doubt in her mind, she had been slain by a malfested. The crucial information was something she had no answer for.

A heavy sigh escaped her lips. "If only I can uncover more of my memories…"

"I believe you can remember them in time, Trine." Maxi gave her a reassuring nod. "Like how you told me about your father. It just appeared in your mind right?"

A nod.

"Don't stress yourself too much about it, partner. If something bothers you, I'm all ears." A small smile curved on his lips. "It's important to focus on what's ahead, and when we're resting or something, that's the time to have a self-retrospection."

"Right." She gave him another nod. "Thanks, Maxi."

Soon after, they arrived back on the same open field they left the merchant. Like the last time they saw him, he only gazed on ahead, unmoving. When the two of them were close enough, the merchant said his usual greetings, pulling his cloak aside to reveal the same notes.

"Welcome."

* * *

Notes:

**To maintain the T rating, I culled out a sentence or two on the ending of the fight scene.**

I love the merchant from Resident Evil 4, so I figured, why not insert him here as well? This is canon divergent novelization attempt after all. :^)

Since we were free to roam around the map when Maxi let us explore in Dhaka, with a side quest available to take care of, I decided to let time for them to wait for the other crew to come back in a week or so. The story didn't happen in a span of a few weeks, after all.

I'd decided to break more braincells I have and start writing the fight scene from scratch. Trine and Maxi versus the group of malfested wouldn't be possible in-game, so I really have to stretch that far so I don't have to kick Maxi out of the picture.

I also added an early warning that there will be a future smut in this novelization, and I decided to estimate it at around Chapter 20. With the rate I'm heading, I wanted to flesh out the Conduit's character more instead of trying to make her get in Groh's pants without development. I wanted these two to develop more, understand that they must prioritize their mission first before paying attention to their current mutual pining. :^)

If you wanna see me ramble like a dumbass I am, or doesn't mind me retweeting stuff, head to my profile to follow my Twitter. That's where I post random shit about Groh and show how giddy I am whenever someone finds my story great. It's what I aspire to deliver in the first place, and I'm more than happy to see it bear fruit. :"D

As much as I enjoy writing this story, I have to unfortunately announce to you all that the weekly update will be the last thing to happen in this chapter. I want to focus on other stories that require my attention, and I don't want to eventually reach a writer's block that halts this story in a full stop. I apologize for the inconvenience and I hope you understand my wish. :')


	7. Road to Realization

"We'll be waiting for you back in the docks, alright?"

Trine gazed up at the horse carriage. Maxi would be riding back in Dhaka, while she had to stay behind and wait for the merchant to come back. When they arrived at where they left the merchant, Trine told him she had a place she wanted to visit right now. She revealed to him the letter from Drona, her dojo master, and Maxi let her go. Since traveling by the carriage proved to be quicker by foot, she had no doubt she would come back before it got too dark to continue on.

The woman raised her hand and gave the pirate a parting wave and a bright smile, and then the merchant rode back to the east.

Adorshagram should now be safe from being rattled by the malfesteds after they disposed of them. The path leading to the west was the entrance of the town, its large gate opened to welcome travelers from different lands. Instead of heading towards the welcoming arch, the woman decided to stay put and wait for the merchant. She was still full of supplies, and with a new bag, it helped her store more items she needed.

The dagger she purchased was inside her cloak pocket. No one would suspect she even had such blade.

Trine took out the scales, and saw it still leaned on being good. As long as she had a strong grasp on her conscience, it shouldn't tilt to the other side, right? And the fact that she'd done a lot of good deeds, choosing to be altruistic as well, was more than enough that she would never succumbed to evil. The idea of helping the helpless was definitely a second nature for her, but she could only thank one man for pushing her to be a savior.

Maxi would be waiting for her back in the dock. He was more than willing to wait.

The pirate had kept showing her his genuine concern for others, especially for a total stranger like her. Kyam was right, he always does something without giving it any second thought, but it was his honest altruism that led him to be the man he was right now, and Trine really appreciated that. Amidst the enigma that surrounded her, the state of the world right now, Maxi still bounced back to his friendly attitude and would always be the first one to reach out a helping hand.

The sound of wheels being spun and the gallop of a horse's legs became prominent. Trine turned to see the same merchant guiding the horse to a stop. She trudged towards the merchant, and he gave her a nod.

"Take me to Dhamrai." She spoke without waver. "After I'm done, I want to go back to Dhaka, near the docks."

The merchant merely gave her a small nod. "Understood, stranger."

* * *

They stopped near the entrance of the village. Trine hopped off the carriage and surveyed her surroundings. It was another marketplace, but it was far less crowded. Near the edge of the place was another dock. It was filled with merchants that offered various merchandises, and judging from the ship trade nearby, the items on sale came from another country. Trine was not knowledgeable about how trading works, but there were a few she never saw before from the other marketplace she had visited. There was a large staircase that led towards the upper part of the town. Its straightforward and narrow pathway was Dhamrai's charm. Unfortunately, she didn't come here for sightseeing. The woman took out the letter of invitation and headed towards the large staircase.

Asking the locals about the warrior's whereabouts had led her to come face-to-face with the man that Drona met in his travels. The man himself was resting on a chair, a large sword leaning on the wall behind him. The soldiers stood nearby the open area, their bodies straight and their faces stern. Trine handed him the letter of invitation, and the warrior took it, his eyes moving as he read the contents of the lone paper.

He looked up at her with a perplexed look. "Lord Drona himself sent you here? Unbelievable…"

"Is there a problem, Tilak?" Trine cupped her chin, using her other hand as leverage for her elbow.

Tilak averted his gaze away, then glanced back with an apologetic look. "To be honest, I don't have time to deal with a stranger wandering in from the dark."

Trine didn't know how to respond to _that._ She let her arms fell limp at her side, her eyes diverted to the side.

"I may not be heading off to war with the soldiers, but I'm still very busy…"

Hearing those words, the men that stood on either directions moved closer, their weapons drawn out. Swords, lances, axes, maces and staves of all shapes and sizes were aimed towards her. Responding to their animosity, Trine unsheathed her dual saber and connected it as one, her expression of defeat morphing into a face of a strong warrior, intense gaze adorning her eyes.

She could see their eyes lingering on the weapon she was wielding. Her swordsmanship skills was taught by Sanna, a technique that the organization she worked with had mastered, and the same skills the man in black had exhibit when they crossed swords. No normal warrior would wield two swords this way, let alone connect the hilt together as one-it was more words from her mother a few years ago. A faint wisp of voice brushing past her ears, but nothing more came in mind.

Her hooded figure hid the scarlet outfit she wore, which further added enigma on where she came from. The woman also had no idea where did she even acquired such outfit, as it hinted _nothing _about her origin…

Where was she even born?

"Hold." Tilak stepped forward, his hand raised. "If I dishonored Lord Drona's request, I would be spitting on the face of my father and family."

The soldiers lowered their weapons, but their stances were still on the offensive.

"More importantly, from the looks of it, none of you could match this one in a fight." Tilak waved his hand at her direction. "Lord Drona himself had trained her and he recommended her. If he invited her to have a spar with me, then I should heed his wish."

The soldiers finally put away their weapons, and they all took a step back.

Tilak returned his attention back to her. "Trine, was it? I find myself suddenly interested in you."

Seeing him rose from his seat curled a small smirk on her lips as she pushed her idle thoughts away. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Good. Master Drona thought highly of you, and I wanted to see how strong you are as well."

"Well then, I shall accept your request for a duel." Tilak grabbed the large sword that was resting against the wall near his chair. "Show me the techniques you have learned from Lord Drona!"

"Trust me." She took a few steps forward, preparing her stance. "You won't be disappointed."

Behind the smile that showed her cockiness, Trine realized that whenever she prepared herself to battle, a strong adrenaline coursed through her body, amplifying her confidence. It was like her body flipped a hidden switch that morphed her into a more daring warrior as her mind signaled her body to obey what maneuvers she should do.

Her legs ran forward, and she leapt towards him, her arms swinging the dual sabers on her hand. She saw Tilak merely raising his large sword, blocking the swing of her blade and the ending thrust as her feet landed on the ground. Recovering her ground, Trine saw his sword swinging forward, scraping her right arm. She hissed as she raised her dual sabers to block the next two swing of his large sword, every impact pushed her back. The hit left a large line of gap on her right sleeve, revealing the red sleeve of her top. Damn it, she had underestimated his strength, and she paid for it with her brown cloak.

Tilak stepped to the left, his large sword held only by his right hand. Trine pivoted her feet as she twisted her upper body, swinging her dual sabers downward. Tilak groaned, and she quickly shifted her body forward, her arms raising to slash upward. The blade struck him in his chin, and the hit toppled his body backwards.

Taking an all out offensive approach of attack, Trine rushed forward to deliver another swing of her dual sabers, her mind drifting on how seamless she wielded her blades without fear of getting scrapes for her potential carelessness. Tilak had parried all of her blows, his large sword clashing against her steel. She wondered at the back of her head about how _long _did she had to master this dual swordsmanship technique? At what year did her mother die?

Trine crouched down and swiped her blades at his ankles, but was merely guarded by his large sword. She rolled to the side to dodge the overhead strike, then jumped back to evade the swing of his weapon. If she could be lost in her own thoughts while fighting this formidable opponent, did that mean she had achieved the strength she desired?

The woman found her answer when she felt his left foot colliding against her side. She cried out, her body falling to the ground. No, not yet, not after balancing her focus between her train of thoughts and the duel. She had to prove she improved under Master Drona's care, and the only way to do that was to eliminate her idle thoughts for the time being and study how her opponent moves to find the right opening.

The right opening to unleash the powerful technique.

Trine focused to channel all of her strength, her free hand raised in front of her face.

"Whatever that runs in my blood, it should help me decide my fate."

In one quick motion, she clenched her fist and moved her hand away from her face, a faint aura of newfound strength emanating all over her body. She turned her body around, her arms raised high. The woman saw Tilak about to swing his large sword, but she delivered a downward swing of her blade that made him stumble backwards. She bent her knees, then aimed her weapon towards his torso. Trine threw her weapon sideways, the dual blades spinning towards him.

He tried to raise his sword, but the blade pierced through his arm. Tilak cried out in pain as Trine rushed forward, taking out her weapon and delivering a slash. She spun forward, separating her dual sabers into two blades. She swung her arms to deliver consecutive slashes of her blades, then she crouched down, her left foot sliding forward as she placed her weight on her right foot, her right knee bending. She connected the hilt of her swords together, and with one hand, she could feel the strong force that awakened from her weapon.

It wasn't the Scharfricter that sapped her soul, nor was her body transforming into a malfested. It was her strong will that heed her call for strength.

Trine stepped forward and stabbed her weapon on his torso. She felt his body fell limp from shock, her face gazing ahead. The energy that gathered in her weapon grew stronger, spiraling itself to her weapon.

Trine was not fully human. Coming back into this world with the purpose of harnessing the power of the astral fissures, and the man in black commenting about her existence, her reasons of coming back into this world were still not clear. She was a lost warrior coming back to life.

"_**Chevalier perdu!"**_

The energy exploded as the woman retracted her sabers with another swing, sending Tilak flying in the air. Sensing the sudden burst of energy dissipating, the woman turned back to see him standing up, his hands clutching the spot of his stomach. There were no signs of red that cascaded down his body, only the purple bruises and crimson marks that he received from the battle.

A wash of relief waved through her. Thank the heavens she didn't accidentally murder Master Drona's recommended student.

Tilak took a deep breath and stood up straight. "Not only have you demonstrated great skill and fearsome techniques, but also incredible poise. With that, o great one, I yield…"

Trine separated her dual sabers and sheathed it back to her hips. She gave him a small bow. "Thank you for sacrificing the time to heed Master Drona's wish. It has been an honor dueling with you."

Tilak merely gave him a nod.

"I can see why Master Drona sees you as more skilled than your father." Her eyes diverted to the ocean view ahead. "He mentioned that you've claimed vengeance against the one who killed your father, and I can see that it has made you stronger. How you stopped your soldiers to challenge me was the first sign of your strength."

Trine glanced back at the warrior, a small smile curling on her lips. "Even though you were busy, you didn't want to shame on your father's name. You'd earned my respect, Tilak."

Tilak didn't speak a word at first, his eyes flickering as he listened to her words, then he closed his eyes. He could see why Lord Drona took her under his wing and trained her. Off the battlefield, this lost one was respectful and speaks in a gentle manner, but when she fights, she hides her modesty in favor of psyching up her opponents with her confident bravado. Gone were the gentle stares of her doe brown eyes when she readied her stance, her pupils now brimmed with confidence.

This woman had also earned his respect.

A small smile tugged on his lips as he opened his eyes. "Thank you, great warrior. It has been an honor to cross swords with you as well, and so I present you with this."

With a gesture from his right hand, one of the soldiers grabbed a package near the chair he was sitting previously. Instead of heading towards Tilak, the soldier walked towards her. He presented the item in his hand, which was a sword wrapped in paper for cover, a ribbon tied it together. She glanced at the warrior, and with a nod, she tentatively held the package as her own.

"This is a weapon my father planned to present to Lord Drona." Tilak nodded his head. "But after our duel, I believe you, Lord Drona's disciple, are worthy to wield it."

Trine was filled with awe, her eyes scanning the package she was holding. _This_ was supposed to be for Master Drona, but she'd earned her worth in his place. She couldn't wait to share the news to her master when she finally didn't have to fear for her life.

Speaking of, something about Tilak's father and Master Drona's history had piqued her interest more. She was sure they'd shared something deep, a mutual alliance forged by steel.

Trine heard Tilak let out a small laugh. Her thoughts were probably transparent on her face.

"My father…" He was careful when he spoke, showing off a goofy face. "My father had something of a rivalry with Lord Drona."

The woman couldn't contain her own grin emerging from her lips. There goes the idea of Master Drona and Tilak's father fighting through the hordes of soldiers.

"Despite being the elder and the more skilled, my father knew that one day Lord Drona would overtake him…" He shook his head. "And that terrified my father."

"Terrified?" She let out a hearty chuckle. "That's uncharacteristic."

He also laughed along with her. Her quip was on point. "My father may fear losing, however, he vowed to be graceful in what he saw as his inevitable defeat."

The smile on her lips faltered, remembering how Tilak's father died, and how Master Drona was upset that he lost a rival and a friend. "I'm so sorry for your loss."

Tilak acknowledge her words with a nod, his smile never leaving his face. "In his will, he bequeathed this weapon to Lord Drona, as a token of his respect."

Trine examined the package. She didn't unwrap it, it would do no good to open it and never use it in the end. The woman didn't even know if she could wield a sword like this, judging from her dual-swordsmanship technique she was using and its longer length, but she'd earned the right to own this weapon, and she would practice wielding this blade one day.

"But now, I want you to have it!"

Seeing Tilak with a proud smile on his face finally convinced her to have a stronger grip on the package. Well then, she knew that Master Drona would be very, very happy to hear this when she visits him one day. A large grin broke on her face. "Thank you, Tilak! I'll share the news with Master Drona when I see him again."

Tilak nodded with a grin of his own. If they ever cross paths again, Tilak would ensure he was ready to fight her again.

The dojo master's proud face etched inside her mind. She couldn't wait to come back to India and share the news.

Trine bowed her head. "Thanks again for giving a moment to spar. I will be going now."

Tilak gave him the same bow in return. "A safe journey, strong warrior. Farewell."

* * *

When she arrived back to the merchant, the sun was already set. The roads ahead were dreadful at night, but Maxi and his crew were waiting for her. Trine didn't know if she should stay at the nearby inn and let the merchant stay as well, or head back, with risk of potential bandits getting in their way.

When she saw the merchant opening the flap of his hood, she knew her answer.

"Let's head back to Dhaka." The woman unsheated her dual sabers and connected it as one, her grip on the hilt was tight. "If the bandits gets in the way, I'll fend them off."

The merchant chuckled, his eyelids blinking. "Thank you, stranger."

She went inside the carriage and they rode off, back to Dhaka. The horses galloped without restraint, and they breezed through the open path without any intruders in sight. The ride was long thanks to the distance, but when they finally reached the building that housed the horses, the sky was still orange.

Trine got off the carriage and gave the merchant a small bow. "Thank you for your service."

The merchant chuckled. "Anytime, stranger."

The woman gazed at the merchant, noticing the large backpack he always brought behind his back. She stood there for a moment, her lips pursed. Then, she spoke. "I'll see you again, right? Not in Dhaka, but somewhere."

His ocean blue pupils pierced through her soul. Then, his eyes blinked.

"Anytime, stranger."

"I guess I can entrust you to keep hold of this one?" She held out the package in her hand. There was no way she could fight while carrying this gift on her back-it would hinder her performance due to its additional weight.

It was also crazy to even let a total stranger, let alone a merchant, hold such a prized possession, but at this point, the woman had no choice.

The merchant slowly took hold of the package as his eyes roamed on the paper cover. The stranger had been nice to him. He could sense her doubts, but despite her internal protests, she chose to interact with him further. After all, there would be no other merchant like him who was only focused on business-which includes performing requests from his customers.

"I will keep this safe, stranger."

"Thank you." She bowed her head. Trine still had doubts on entrusting the gifted sword to the merchant, but she was willing to take risks, like how a certain pirate she knew asked her to tag along as an apology for fighting him. His aura still intimidated him, but the merchant had shown no malice from the duration they were together, especially when Maxi went on ahead.

He gave her an acknowledging nod, the faint afterglow barely showed his ocean blue pupils.

"There is no need to doubt, stranger. Sometimes, you have to take things as it is, and never question them."

Trine frowned, but she knew he was right. The whole thing about her was crazy, and she never really questioned it. She only listened to Zasalamel's words and heed his advice, then proceeded to travel on her own, not knowing what stuff that would greet her as she ventured further. Maybe this merchant had some strange power within him that helped him traverse through country to country. The fact that he _did_ recognized her, maybe she could make an alliance with him until her mission was over.

A small sigh escaped her lips. "A safe journey to you, merchant." She slipped out a small smile.

The merchant merely nodded. "Come back anytime."

* * *

Trine arrived back at the docks and came into a full stop. She placed her hands on her knees as her lungs yearned for oxygen. The sun was now nowhere in sight as the moonlight provided the light she needed to see. Gods, she didn't know she would be _this_ late. The woman couldn't face Maxi straight in the face as pinkish hues dusted her cheeks. She was embarrassed about her tardiness.

"There you are."

Speak of the devil.

Trine raised her head to see the pirate standing in front of her. He offered his right hand, which she took. He helped her stand up.

"We're all ready here." He let go of her hand and gave her a small smile. "C'mon, let's go."

"Alright." She followed behind him.

Stepping foot on the ship deck sent goosebumps all over her skin. Trine felt nostalgia kicking in as she stood at the edge, admiring the horizon ahead. The faint presence of her father placed a smile on her face. Tait, it felt like he was standing right beside her, keeping a close eye on her so she wouldn't fall to the ocean. Her hands gripped tightly on the wooden rails, recalling her over-excitement when she was still a young maiden years ago. Don't lean too close, he said, or else she would drown and die.

"Raise the anchor!" Maxi's voice boomed. "We're leaving port!"

The water splashed as his crew raised the anchor. Slowly, the ship moved, distancing itself away from the bridge. The fabric was pulled open, revealing its milky white colors. Her heart beat faster, she couldn't believe she was boarding a ship again! The fluttering of the sails, the splash of the ocean against the ship… It was all thanks to his partner in this journey.

Trine approached the pirate, a large grin plastered on her face. "Thanks again for all your help, Maxi. I truly appreciate your company."

"Don't worry 'bout it, Trine." He cracked a chuckle in return. "Let's just take a load off and enjoy the ride! Enjoy the sea we're crossing, appreciate the endless horizon of the sun… but that'll be for tomorrow." Maxi motioned his hand on an open pathway that led to the inside of the pirate ship. "You should get some rest. We'll be stopping at Sittwe first. Kyam said we needed to refuel our ship before we continue."

"I see." The air had turned cooler and calmer. She was thankful that her cloak was made to combat the cold, despite the fact that there was a large rip on her left sleeve.

When Maxi ushered her to follow him, she gave him a nod. Exhaustion quickly piling on, Trine could only focus on Maxi's back as they headed downstairs, their footsteps loud with every creak and tap of the heels of their footwear. A few more steps, and they arrived at the end of the pathway. They stood in front of a closed door, which the woman assumed was one of his crew's quarters. Maxi opened the door and stepped inside, motioning with his hand for her to come as well. As she trudged forward, she saw that the room was small. She saw a small bed that was enough to accommodate one person, a desk nearby the circular window, and a small lamp.

"Welcome to your new room! It's small, but we make sure it's good enough." A small chuckled emerged from his lips. "You wouldn't mind this room, right?"

"Not at all." Trine stepped forward and approached the bed. She traced her fingers on the mattress. "I'm really grateful for your help, partner." She turned her head towards him, a bright smile adorning her face.

"How many times do you have to thank me?" Maxi shook his head with an amused look.

They both laughed. Trine placed her palm against her mouth to cover herself, while Maxi planted his hands on his hips.

"Good night, Trine." The pirate stepped back, his eyes lingering on the woman that saved his butt from failing his recent job. A part of him wanted to stay inside, but his crew may think of wild imaginations that would put his dignity to shame. Even though she was well, he could still see the exhaustion in her eyes, and he had no doubt it was from trying to unpack her locked memories.

When she slipped out a small smile, Maxi felt his shoulders relax. Trine greeted him a good night, and he finally turned around to leave, closing the door behind him.

After they head to Yangguang and mingle with Haoran again, the pirate knew her partnership with Trine will come to an end soon afterwards. He didn't dwell on being sad about it, because he knew that even if they eventually part ways, his friendship with Trine would remain strong. As much as he wanted her to join his crew and treat her as one of them, the woman already belonged to someone else, and Maxi didn't want to add further conflict to her life.

If she ever continued to pursue the path of being a pirate, then there was a high probability that they would cross paths again, and Maxi would rather go with that route than make her beloved jealous.

He climbed back on the deck to see if everyone else was calling it a night.

* * *

Her eyes lingered open.

The cloak was haphazardly placed atop the desk, while her bag was placed on the wooden chair. The thin blanket covered her upper body, protecting her from the cold. Her body was exhausted and ready to drop, and yet she couldn't close her eyes because her mind was racing, her head spinning as her thoughts dug back to the man in black that stared at her with sadness in his olive eye.

Trine had dismissed the idea of the man in black being the person she was looking for. He didn't recognize her face at all, nor called out her name. A person who met someone they were familiar with would say their name, right? And the man in black didn't. It was supposed to be a simple conclusion to scrape more information inside her head, to pray she would _remember_ something-but what she felt was a nagging feeling she was wrong and she'd wasted the chance to talk to him.

Trine rolled to the side. She was now facing the wooden wall, the faint glow of moonlight barely showing its brown hues. She _should_ be asleep. Tomorrow would be another long day before they arrived at their next destination, and she needed as much rest as possible to continue on. If she lacked sleep, she wouldn't be able to harness the power of the fissure, Haoran may die protecting her, and Maxi may even get _killed._

The woman blinked.

What if her beloved's dead as well? What if he was already slain, or grew weak from illness? How has she not even thought of _that_?

Trine rolled to the left as her brows creased. All this time, she had been _too _optimistic. He may already be dead at this point. Even worse, he may have already transformed into a hungry malfested, killing every single person in town to sate his animalistic lust for blood. If she travelled back to her hometown, the country she left him alone to seek more strength…

Trine recalled her dream. She recognized it as her own from the glass window that showed the sparkling ice crystals that was glued under the rooftop, and the gentle fall of the snow. Her eyes widened as it clicked inside her.

She resided from the Kingdom of Denmark-Norway. Her family had always traveled around the globe, Sanna and Sig from their job, Tait and herself from freedom. Last year, from the coldest month of the year, she decided to never travel anymore, and chose to work near her home, a house that lack the presence of her family. She realized she was already misty-eyed from her thoughts.

Even if he was _alive_, would he still be waiting for her? The thought of coming back to his home, only to be greeted by another maiden that healed his heart while she was away made her nauseous. Even worse, a small child running towards the fair lady, and she could see his features on the small son or daughter. As the woman blinked, the tears rolled down her face. A prickling feeling occurred inside her chest as she continued thinking of the potentially broken promise. She stopped herself from sobbing. She didn't know how thick the walls were, and she would rather not disturb the crew.

Trine rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. No, she mustn't let these thoughts bring her down. She _must_ stay strong. If she succumbed to these thoughts, the Astral Chaos would claim her soul right here, right now. Also, she had already grown stronger day by day. She must keep it up, and show the whole world that she'd improved, that she'd achieved the strength she desired.

The woman rolled back, her eyes gazing at the ceiling. Only a year or so had passed when she was killed and turned into an unwilling malfested. The man she cared for may had heard of the news, but something tells her he wouldn't believe she was dead, if there were even news of her demise.

Nobody had recognized her yet. None of the people she met had a face that looked like they'd seen a ghost, but maybe someone will…

Hong Yue.

Master Drona had mentioned that she remembered Hong Yue from how she wielded her blades. A sliver of hope warmed her hearth. Yangguang was located near Sichuan, and it would be only a few hours to travel if she saw the merchant again. After dealing with the fissure in Yangguang, she should give Sichuan a visit and confirm it herself. Will Hong Yue recognize her? Or has she already forgotten her friendship with her mother Sanna?

There was no point in dwelling. Her eyes became half-lidded, and she let it drop completely. Trine kept her eyes closed before eventually succumbing into a quiet slumber.

* * *

Notes:

My map readings are far from accurate. I just hoped for the best when understanding the map of Libra of Souls when comparing it to its real life variants. I apologize for this.

Instead of having an infinite luggage that the Conduit can bring anywhere at anytime, I decided to give the Merchant more role than just, well, a merchant. He'll be the "item box" in this story, per se.

My progress on writing the next chapter has come into a crawl, so I apologize if you all have to wait a month or so before you hear from me again.


	8. Delving Into the Past

The woman was greeted by a strange place. In front of her was a mixture of colors, spiraling and moving, contrasting and mixing. Trine saw she was unarmed, her weapons nowhere in sight. Below her feet was nothing-she was floating in the air again, just like how her conscience awakened weeks ago. Instead of experiencing fear and despair as a troubling thought of being defenseless swirling inside her head, she felt nothing at all. Not even a strike of adrenaline, or any sort of energy. It was like she'd accepted her fate.

The colors were just there. There was no force that drove her to unite with a black hole.

The lack of cold nor heat made her survey herself. She noticed that she could see her bare breasts, spared by any signs of wounds. She raised her left hand and placed it against her chest, feeling the soft thumping of her heartbeat. It was normal, she could still feel it pumping blood.

As much as she wanted to wonder where she was, Trine merely closed her eyes and let her body fall back. She was nothing more than an empty husk of shell. Devoid of any emotions, she opened her eyes to see the colors above. It was a breathtaking view, but it never captivated her. It should, but she felt nothing. She only stared blankly at the view, waiting for the ground to hug her. Judging from the eternal darkness below, she would only fall down forever, nothing to catch her fall and break her body apart.

_Trine!_

A voice… It was so distant…

Blinking, she saw a large hand extending towards her. Instead of reaching up to hold it, she merely stared at it. Her eyes turned half-lidded as she still felt _nothing. _

She knew whose voice it was, but realizing she was dreaming of another realm, she didn't feel obligated to reach up.

The hand revealed an arm, then a body, then lastly, a face obscured by darkness. Her eyes widened as he saw the color of his hair: it was gray with streaks of indigo. Trine could recall meeting someone with such hairstyle, but with her empty state, she could not _think_. She gasped as she felt his arms wrapped tightly around her body, keeping her safe from the fall. The woman felt his face nuzzling her neck.

_Don't give up on me, Trine…_

"How?" Her voice was raised as reality hits her. She had no idea who he was, and the hair may be as well just a manifestation of her subconscious, clinging into a hope that she could finally remember him. It may as well be the hair of Maxi's, then she would know this hair she was seeing was merely false. Trine felt her heart broke into pieces as she choked back tears. The man was warm, his heat radiating her cold flesh, but she still couldn't bring her arms around his neck, to flush her body against his.

The comfort that could only be achieved in a fantasy hurts her.

Trine felt her head being guided up, his hand cupping her chin so she could look directly at her. It was painful to see nothing on his face, only the black that obscured his facial features, but when she saw him leaning closer, her eyes slowly shut closed. The woman could feel his breath tickling her as she relished the moment, the warmth, accepting this sweet dream as nothing more than a lie to heal her heart.

There lips didn't made contact.

_Grow stronger. Do not let your fate hold you back. You have the strength to defy your destiny. I trust you, Trine._

The woman opened her eyes. His face was so close, their breaths mingling. Even if the darkness hid his face, she finally felt it again.

Warmth. Love. Joy.

It was everything that she'd been cherished for so long, and he was the one who helped her rise from the constant longing for her family. He was the one who provided sunshine in her rain, and in turn, she helped him find something to care for, to cherish the few bonds he had with people, and most importantly, remind him that he provides her warmth, love, and joy.

Trine leaned close, and she felt her lips making contact with his. Her arms coiled around his torso as she huddled closer. She felt his hand rubbing the small of her back as he deepened the kiss. A sweet kiss that reeled her emotions back to life, a fantasy-filled moment that made her realize she must not give in to despair. The recollection of the reason why he was so important to her, and why she promised to come back to him one day had reeled inside her mind, and it was the answer she was looking for.

It was because of each other that they found love.

Trine distanced her face from his, a smile curling on her lips. "Thank you."

His knuckles rubbed her cheek, brushing the tears that stained her face.

_You will find me again, as long as you keep your promise._

She nuzzled close to the crook of his neck, relishing the comfort he provided, as she knew the end was near.

_Promise me you'll never forget me, Trine._

"Even if we're lost, no matter how many times… This dream, this place, I want to return to it"

* * *

Early morning had arrived. After checking the mansails, Maxi gazed at the horizon. Sittwe was still a day or two away, and thankfully, the fuel was still enough to reach their destination without much conflict. As time passed, he witnessed his crew slowly emerging from the stairs and making their way on the deck. Morning greetings were made as they bask in the warm sunlight, relishing the warmth it provided as the cool breeze brush past their skin.

One of his crew volunteered to prepare their morning breakfast, and then a handful offered to join him. Maxi decided to stay atop the deck and would rather feel the warmth of the morning sunshine. He asked them to call him if the food was ready.

Few minutes later, Kyam was walking towards him. The two of them gazed at the ocean, admiring the waves of the blue field and the sound of the ocean water splashing against their ship.

"Hey, brother. The landlubber isn't awake yet." Kyam's words were carefully stated. His eyes diverted to the room that led downstairs.

"We better not disturb her." His smile was small, while his face was filled with concern. "She needed as much rest as she could get. Trine's journey about dealing with the astral fissure does wear her out."

A simple hum was Kyam's response. As the seagulls passed by, Kyam inquired about how he met Trine. When he heard about the fact that Maxi was almost cut in half by a bewildered Trine, he slapped his palm against his forehead. Maxi only laughed at his reaction, noting about his too-serious-for-his-own-good personality that he does truly appreciate.

"I have to look out for ya before ya leap on the wrong place again! First ya were almost mugged, and then we were almost killed because of that woman who dealt with the fake sword!"

"Take it easy and relax, Kyam. It all worked out in the end, after all!" Maxi patted his back as he stopped himself from laughing. "And 'sides, when I helped that old man deal with psychos, if my partner wasn't around, I'm dead meat again."

"I 'eard it." Kyam nodded his head. "And if she 'ad an ulterior motive, she definitely took ya out already."

"Kyam, don't speak ill of her like that." Maxi frowned at him.

He raised his hands in defense. "I was only bein' honest, cap'n'. She's still a total stranger for us."

"I know." He broke out an amused grin. "I totally understand where you're coming from, brother."

Kyam merely sighed. "Hmm. Anyway, Maxi. Ya did mention yer also friends with another one. Who was it again?"

"Ah, it's Haoran." Maxi leaned on the boat. "He called our attention and offered to accompany us on the job, which me and Trine quickly accepted. Guy got a knack of being the most polite and the most generous. He always offer us food." He cracked out a large grin.

Kyam narrowed his eyes. "You better not took advantage of his kindness, brother."

"I know, I know."

Maxi talked more about his adventures with Trine and Haoran, and why he offered to help Trine reach Yangguang by boarding with his ship, free of charge. It was because of the strong bond they formed despite the short time they had together, how they trusted one another without any reluctance or doubts in their mind, even after Trine confessed she was unsure whether she was still a human, and she _had_ to pursue the astral fissures for her own personal goal.

Maxi didn't disclose all of the details to him, as he thought it was better for Trine herself to share the whole truth to Kyam. The image of the moment flashed inside his mind-she really did her best to explain everything to them, for the sake of hiding no secrets from the two of them. He and Haoran had no idea what was even going on, but when she explained herself, it just made _sense_.

Kyam mulled on his words, understanding why Maxi saw her in high regard, even calling her his 'partner' in his adventures. He suspected they had something going on between them, where Maxi fell for her deadly charms, but judging at how Trine spoke of the captain in a casual tone, and how _sisterly_ she acted around him, how she didn't flirt around with the crew and treated them normally, Kyam became convinced they were just friends, and Trine was not a deceptive woman.

"And when Haoran decided to go on ahead, he hugged the both of us at the same time. That's when I realized how much we'd grown close together despite the short time we had together." Maxi turned around and crossed his arms. "I see Trine as my partner, no doubt about it, but Haoran can be one as well. Him and Trine as part of our crew, it'll be one hell of an adventure, but alas, both of them had someone to come back to."

Kyam raised an eyebrow as he cast a curious look at him. "Hrm? Whattaya mean, brother?"

"Haoran went to Yangguang to check up on his brother. I know he can deal with the malfested, he'd proven his strength after all." A small smile formed on his lips, remembering the time they joined forces to fight Daniel while Trine deal with Valtro, and their friendly spar as he judged Haoran's strength. "Trine got too worked up on worrying about him. I could see it when you were discussing what you know about the astral fissure."

"I see." Kyam rubbed his chin as he nodded his head. "Normally, ya would be called an idiot for befriendin' them instantly, but I can see why you care for them. I just refused to believe it at first because I 'ad my suspicion, but thankfully I'm false." A small sigh escaped his lips. "When ya first introduced her to us, ya were too friendly with her, rufflin' her hair and tryin' to act like her knight in shinin' armor."

"Because Trine saved me, and Haoran as well." Maxi grinned at him. "She wouldn't even stop _thanking_ me, it's actually kind of cute."

"She has manners at least, unlike a _certain someone._"

"Don't bring _my_ words against mine." Maxi tried to suppress his laughter.

"What was it? Us crew lackin' manners? You wounded us, brother!"

A hearty chuckle was shared as the sun rose from the horizon. One of Maxi's crew called his attention to tell them that breakfast was ready. Maxi asked if Trine was already awake, but there was no sign of her presence. He mused that she was still slumbering peacefully. It would suck if she missed out on revelling the warmth of the morning sun, so Maxi decided to head to her room to wake her up.

* * *

The faint sound of water splashing against the wall stirred her awake. Her eyes slowly fluttered open, trying to regain focus of her vision. The sunshine that passed through the small, circular window had provided enough light to see how plain looking the room she was residing in. Trine slowly rose from the bed as she stretched out her arms with a yawn. She heard her joints pop, she mused she needed to find someone to massage her sore muscles.

The woman swung her legs to the ground and stood up. She turned around and fixed her bed, making sure she left no wrinkles on the sheets. She donned her cloak and slung her sling bag over her body after making sure she left nothing behind on the desk. The items sold from the merchant were definitely top quality.

Trine heard a soft knock from the door.

"Trine? You awake? Breakfast is ready!"

Trine approached the door and turned the knob. She pulled it to see Maxi standing in front, a large grin adorning his face. She couldn't help but smile in return.

"'Bout time you wake up, to be honest." Maxi motioned his hands to follow her. "C'mon! The food can't wait for too long!"

"Right." She felt like she was carrying a burden she couldn't let go right now. Trine felt bad that she couldn't return his positive demeanor when she walked behind him.

As they climb up the stairs, Trine was greeted by the sight of a diner table being set up by his crew. The way they handled things were in-sync. One glance at someone, and everyone knew what to do next. Not too long, the upper deck was now decorated with a long wooden table placed on the middle with wooden chairs surrounding it.

The aroma of the food soon wafted through her nose. Trine turned her head to see the same people that she fought weeks ago had their arms full with an ample amount of food, ranging from juicy grilled meat to freshly plucked fruit. Man, just seeing those made her realize how much she forgot about how much of a glutton she was back then.

Trine heard her companion chuckle. "They sure look tasty. Better close your mouth before a bug comes inside, y'know?"

Startled, she quickly sealed her lips shut as her cheeks turned red. Trine turned to Maxi with an apologetic look, her right hand felt the warmth of her cheeks.

"I just… realized I never get this enthusiastic with food until now. And I just remembered, _I _have a large appetite, even though I'm a woman." Trine shrugged her shoulders as she averted her face away. "I remembered our last dinner with Haoran. I wasn't as upbeat as the two of you, and I regret it. I should have made our last meal together a fun one, and yet…"

"Hey, don't sweat it, partner." Maxi clasped his hand on her shoulder and he gave it a gentle squeeze. "You don't have to be smiling all the time just to make every moment the greatest. Me and Haoran appreciate your company, even if it's not the brightest moments. And besides, there's always a next time, Trine." A small smile curved on his lips as he guided her to move forward. "C'mon, let's have a feast! I gotta introduce you to everyone as well as the sun bathe us with its warmth!"

Trine only gazed at him with a large smile on her lips. She was so grateful to be friends with someone like him, someone who could understand that she was permitted to have a moment of vulnerability, a moment of weakness even if their time together will be short, as long as he could do something to flip that frown on her face.

And honestly, he did.

They approached the table and greeted the entire crew. The sun was high in the sky, providing them the morning warmth that eased the coolness of the ocean. Everyone sat in their respective seats. Trine sat at the far edge on the right, with Maxi sitting across her and Kyam to her left. She could feel everyone's gaze boring right at her, and for the first time in her life, she felt intimidated. She was the only person here who wasn't wielding a sword below the belt, and there was no doubt some, if not all, were having some interesting thoughts about her. But she didn't show any hints of being unnerved, the woman slipped out a small smile towards them.

Maxi could see she was uncomfortable with the crew boring their gaze on her, and her attempt to smile it off like it was something normal made him think of something to deter the attention away from her. He sat on the opposite side to make sure they wouldn't think something funny between them, but it was not his intention to leave her there to be looked at. Clearing his throat, he announced to everyone it was time to eat. Everyone busied themselves with adding meals on their plate.

Maxi glanced at her and shot her a reassuring grin, and he received a grateful smile in return. Kyam glanced between the landlubber and his captain, taking note of how quickly they could communicate with just an expression.

The table was lively with belly aching laughter, food sharing, and stories that were fun to know and listen to. Trine enjoyed her time immensely with everyone in the crew-especially since Maxi was teased by a lot, ranging from the hairstyle he was sporting to his heroic bravado when it came to fine women.

The discussion ended up with their search for Soul Edge that made them be hired by a shady woman named Lyla. Kyam especially had doubts with the woman, and he thought he'd lost Maxi at that point. They all shared a united laughter, especially with Maxi trying his best to defend himself.

"You know your captain, he always finds a way!"

Maxi was met with playful boos and jeers.

The conversation steered to how Maxi and Trine met each other. The crew was in awe on their adventures. Trine couldn't help but smile as she consumed her meal in a large amount; it was very unladylike of her but nobody seemed to mind at all.

"And then here we are, about to head to Yangguang." Maxi spoke with a wide grin on his face. "Though, we're heading to Sittwe first to resupply."

The crew had no objections, and they continued to have pleasant conversations under the warm sunlight.

* * *

Gazing at the Pacific Ocean, a smile graced her lips. Trine tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, admiring the deep blue sea. It was nice to be here in this ship, breathing the fresh sea air while the sunlight gave her warmth. It definitely felt nostalgic for her-she was a pirate too, after all.

The friendly ones, the ones led by his father Tait, aimed to make a name for themselves-since pirates were usually associated with greed and thievery, why couldn't pirates be a part of the community too? Traveling all over the world, trading various local items, and the most important thing of all: enjoying the time spent at sea.

Trine heard footsteps approaching her. Whipping her head to the direction of the noise, she saw Maxi humming to himself. Her shoulders relaxed, glad that it was just her partner and not someone else. Maxi stopped beside her and gazed at the ocean, a pleased look on his face. She couldn't help but smile at him.

They watched the horizon in silence.

Minutes passing, Maxi stretched his arms with a satisfied hum. "Nothing beats the wind and the waves…"

"I agree." Trine heaved out a deep sigh, relishing the gentle wind blowing on her face.

"You know, I was born in the Ryukyu Islands, where you need to get a boat anywhere." Maxi glanced at her with a smile. "But the sea's always a joy, no matter where you sail."

"It truly is." Her smile faltered as she heaved out a small sigh. "Last night, I'd recalled where I was born. I live in Denmark-Norway, somewhere close to a Kingdom. My father hated the cold, so whenever he sailed to travel, he always bring me along so I could experience a place that wasn't dusted with snow. Instead of reminiscing the days I have with my father, I…" She trailed off. There was a deep pang inside her heart.

Maxi could see her face turn contorted. Whatever she thought last night, it troubled her so. He gave her a small nod. He wanted her to continue.

She heaved out another deep sigh then placed her hand against her chest. "...I thought about the possibility of him already dead all this time, and then the idea of him wedding another maiden while I was gone. They are solid scenarios, but I firmly believed those were not the case." She shook her head, and clenched her hand. "My gut told me he was still out there, waiting for me. I just have to believe in that promise."

"Have you remembered what he looked like, or at least, his name?"

When Maxi saw her shook his head with a sad smile, he felt guilty for asking her such a question. She still didn't manage to recall him at all. He wondered how would she find him, in case Trine couldn't remember him at all?

"What do you plan to do if somehow, you can't remember him?"

Trine gave him a grin. "Hopefully I encounter him back at Denmark and come back as a ghost, coming back to haunt his ass."

Maxi held back his laughter, trying his best not to smack her upside the head for her joke. "Trine, you're killing me!"

When she giggled in response, he ended up laughing out loud, unable to restrain himself any longer. A hearty laughter was shared for a few minutes as the sun basked them with warmth. When they settled down, they glanced back at the deep blue sea, watching the waves splash against the boat.

"The sea is always nice to look at." Trine leaned against the wooden railings, a small smile curled on her lips. "Thanks to my father allowing me to accompany him on his travels, I grew to love and cherish the ocean waves, the fresh sea breeze, and the comforts of the wooden ship."

"That's great to hear, partner!" He chuckled in amusement. "It's no wonder we're fast friends; we share the same taste for the sea."

Another laughter has been shared. Maxi smirked at her. "My father was a tradesman hired by the government to operate a merchant ship, so I grew up with a deck under my feet. I'm going to assume it's the same with your father?"

"Yes. But he's not hired by the government, he was just a simple tradesman. Ever since the pirates were known more as the bad guys, he took it upon himself to create another image when townsfolk hears the word 'pirate'." She tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "He was a kind-hearted man, he truly was. Maybe he also met your father during his travels-he had a lot of networks and people he could rely on after all."

"That's a nice possibility, which made me feel closer with you, Trine."

"The feeling's mutual."

Maxi gazed back at the horizon, observing the docks from afar. They should arrive at Sittwe early in the morning in this rate, which was great. The idea of heading back to the docks though… "You know, being on land doesn't feel right."

Trine giggled softly at his statement. "I understand why you feel like that."

They let silence settled between them as they enjoyed the view. They could hear various noises from behind them, but none disturbed their peace.

"Maxi, why did _you _become a pirate?"

"Hmmm…" He crossed his arms as he faced her. "To cut a long story short, I just wanna be free to travel the world."

"Just like what my father wanted me to do once I grew up to the right age." Trine smiled at the memory of Tait's words. "Since my mother planned to recruit me to my organization once I'd proven myself, my father felt like I was being forced to do something I had no heart to perform."

Maxi quirked his eyebrow. "Did you force yourself to follow your mother's footsteps?"

She shook her head. "No. I wanted to follow my mother's footsteps, too. I would love to use my strength to help people in need, and that's what my mother's organization was about. They work in secrecy, for some reason." She shrugged her shoulders. "I'm fine with both. If I can convince the higher ups to let me travel by sea, then that's a big plus for me. Anyway, continue."

"Before my father passed away, he told me to go out and sail the Seven Seas. Live life with no regrets."

"Oh…" Trine gave him an apologetic look. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"No worries." Maxi smiled at her. "Old man lived his life to the fullest, and I'm happy he did. When I first set sail alone after he passed away, I understood what he meant." He glanced back at the sea, watching the ripples of the blue ocean. "This world is huge, and there's so many things to see and do. My journey's just gettin' started."

Watching the view in front of them, Trine heaved out a small sigh. "You're right. This is still the beginning."

Glancing up to see the clouds slowly move as they head to Sittwe, the woman felt a wave of ease. Talking to Maxi like this, it made her more confident for the future. She just had to face the obstacles head-on with a smile on her face, like how Maxi faces his journey without doubts and fears.

Trine was about to inquire more but his crew called their attention.

"Hey landlubber! Ya free to spar with us?!"

Trine glanced at Maxi with a smirk. "Do you mind if I accepted their challenge?"

"Not at all." Maxi flicked his nose with a grin of his own. "Go ahead. I'm going to watch for now."

"Guess Cap'n wanted to relax for the time being." One of his crew chuckled as he motioned at Trine to follow them.

"You're going to grow weak if you don't join us, cap'n!"

Maxi dismissed them with a wave of his hand. "Your lovely captain gotta make sure you don't destroy the deck."

* * *

Notes: Thank you for reading, leaving kudos _and _bookmarking my novel! It truly means a lot to me. I hope this long wait is worth it!

\- Sittwe's the location I threw in the last chapter, only to realize that the scene in the game isn't stuck in one place only. Now I have to stick with Sittwe for the sidequest featuring an eccentric blond merchant.

\- I remember Cervantes quickly regained his fragmented memories in his story. I'm going to not rush things for Trine considering she has a lot of things to take care off before she can even have more self-introspection about herself.

\- Of course, since this is a fanmade novelization with a twist, the Conduit will ask Maxi about his crew and his fighting style. That will be in the next chapter.


	9. See You, My Friend

As quickly as Trine got along with the crew, the sun was ready to depart with a lovely afterglow. Beyond the horizon, the sky was painted with a warm, orange hue. The clouds were a distance apart. Guided by the gentle breeze, they move while basking in the warmth of the sun. Trine stretched her arms with an exhaustive, drawn-out yawn. She didn't expect to compete against all of Maxi's crew in one go-they really wanted to see how strong she was. The woman let her arms fall from her side as she rotated her head. She could hear various pop emerging as she moved her head.

She leaned toward the wooden rails, letting the sea wind brush past her. Her long, scarlet hair fluttered from the breeze.

Trine enjoyed her time here. She loved the company of Maxi's crew-they were a varied bunch. When she dueled with all of them, there were things that they'd communicated by the clashing of their weapons, and the looks they gave as they fight, enough to show their inner thoughts on the moment. Once she defeated them all, she had earned their respects and was asked to spar with them next time. The woman agreed, and after chatting with them about the results of their friendly spar, she felt closer to them. Even if she only interacted to a few of them, she did feel like they were her friends, too.

It was no wonder Maxi treats them as if they were his own blood brothers.

Trine watched the sun set from the horizon, observing how the lovely orange glow soon leaned on a cooler shade of dark blue as the night rapidly approaches. She heaved out another sigh; she would miss the sun again. She had nothing against the night sky-the stars were lovely and the moon was beautiful, but nothing could compare to the warmth the sun gives as it rises above. Taking a few steps back, she closed her eyes and drew another breath.

She gently hummed a familiar tune. The first dream-like memory she saw flashed inside her mind. Her mouth opened, and the words emerged, in tune with her melody.

"_Being separated from the place we began, we noticed the true form of our dreams. Looking up at the clear skies high above, there's a place we can always return to._ _The further we drift apart, the more we hold it dearly… During times like these all I wish for… Is to meet the you who's facing forward singing…"_

Only one thought crossed her mind: may her beloved hear her voice from afar.

"_No matter how dazzling the sky is, there's only one star we're grasping onto… Thus, there's no need to feel lost now… I want to reach towards that 'future' with you all… The song that shakes my heart Returns. Sing it once more, let it resonate once more… With just your true feelings, eternity mixes together with the future…"_

Singing those words, letting her feelings flow free through words, there was stirring inside her chest. The pining for her beloved, the desire to see him again would only grow stronger everyday, and she would always hold onto these feelings, never letting it go. Even so, Trine mustn't let these invaluable emotions cloud her judgement. She wouldn't let these emotions hinder her main goal, to be blinded by the present. Balance must be in order, and if she wanted to achieve the ending she wanted, she had to work for it.

Right now, she needed a long rest. Trine had nothing to do for the rest of the night, especially after that hearty meal post-duel with the crew.

She glanced at the moon, watching it glow from the darkness.

_Hang in there, Haoran… We'll be coming soon._

* * *

A warm, gentle breeze had greeted her when she stepped foot on the deck. Today seemed to be a good day, with a captivating view of the sun and the wind that provided coolness in the morning, Trine couldn't ask for more.

She always loved staring at the horizon, watching the ocean waves and the clouds drift. It gave her comfort, a familiarity to the memories she still cling to. Reminiscing of the days she spent with her father on the deck, just admiring the view while the wind kept them warm. Back then, she used to shed tears, her heart breaking because she could never, ever experience this serenity with him ever again, but the more she grew stronger, the more her will turned into steel.

Trine would always face her melancholic moods with a smile.

But if she couldn't, she would let it all out. Cry until exhaustion had taken over, cry until she was emotionally drained, cry until she couldn't cry anymore. After that, tomorrow she would pick herself up and attempt to face it with another smile, a smile stronger than before. Permitting herself to have a moment of weakness was her way of coping with her loss. Being sad was part of being human, after all.

One must never give in to despair, no matter how hard it was to overcome.

Just like… what she told him on that day… Her memory was still hazy, but she was certain, Trine had told him to never give in to despair. No matter what happens, unless it's absolutely certain, always cling on to what you believed in. Even if the world took the only thing that mattered to you, you claw your way back with unshakable will.

May he still remember those words, as she was here now, uncovering more of her suppressed memories as she continues her journey to claim the power of the Astral Fissures.

Trine heaved out a long sigh, then glanced behind her. Maxi and Kyam were out of sight. She assumed that they weren't awake yet. Guess today, she was the first one to be up between the three of them. Bored, she decided to walk towards one of Maxi's crewmates, who was busy inspecting the barrels near the entrance towards the lower deck.

After exchanging their greetings, the pirate gave her a friendly smile as he waved his hand to present the ship. "I heard you're familiar with travelin' by sea. Ya don't seem to be the type, but ya sure made a good choice of choosin' our ship. Bit beaten up, I admit, but she's a fine ol' girl."

"A fine ol' girl, indeed." A large grin surfaced on her lips. Even if the ship look weathered, it could definitely withstand a heavy storm _and _give everyone enough time to evacuate before this ship falls apart.

Trine tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Call me curious, but how did Maxi and Kyam knew each other?" Her eyes darted to the right, seeing no sign of either men emerging from the upper deck. She glanced back him with a small nod. "If you don't mind sharing, I would like to know."

"I don't mind at all, lass." He crossed his arms. "Maxi's dad found Kyam on the streets and took 'im in… I'm not sure when, but with how things turned out, I guess they're kinda like actual brothers."

"I see." Trine cupped her chin. To just randomly take a lone child under his wing and treat him as his own… Maxi's father is one kind man. Kyam's parents were probably long gone, or worse, disowned him for unknown reasons.

"You saw Kyam givin' Maxi some stick, right?"

She vividly recalled how Kyam raised his concern when she was first introduced towards the crew. She nodded her head. "Yes, and he keeps raising his concern for him often. What's up?"

"Kyam's got his head on straight, see? So he tries to keep Maxi in check." He shook his head with a small smile. "Still, he trusts Maxi more than he lets on."

"Like how in the end, he follows Maxi's decision and makes sure he doesn't hurt himself."

"That's right."

"So how about you?" She motioned her hand towards him. "Why are you traveling with Maxi?"

"Well, y'know… we ain't related by blood or nothin', but we're still a family." The pirate scratched the back of his head with a sheepish smile. "Me an' Maxi go way back to when we were young troublemakers."

"Troublemakers?" Her grin widened. Sure, Maxi sometimes jumps the gun too early, but Trine never envisioned each and every one in this crew to be a bunch of troublemakers when they were young.

"Yep, and Maxi's dad was good to me."

A small chuckle escaped her lips. "How I wish I'd met his dad, too."

There was a short silence that nestled in between, then the pirate moved to glance up at the sky. "Ya don't need a reason to travel with family, right?"

"No, not at all." Trine crossed her arms and tilted her head up to admire the clouds above. "Sometimes, you just travel because it makes you happy. Even if you and the others aren't related, you all what defines the word family."

"Yer right."

The sound of footsteps grew louder when the conversation was finished. From afar, Sittwe was near. Just a few more hours of traveling and they would reach the port.

* * *

"So, how did you and the crew came to be?"

Maxi turned to face her. "Those guys have been with me since I left home. Some were sailors on my father's ship, others are old friends." When he saw her nod with a smile, he slipped out a grin of his own. "They're less of a crew, and more like family."

"You all are a family." Trine cast a glance back on the crew, each of them in their designated stations. "I do envy your closeness with them."

"Aww, getting jealous?" Maxi gave her a playful wink.

Trine chuckled. "I am. Your knight in shining armor wants to be a part of the family too." She winked.

Maxi shook his head, a large grin on his face. "Well, you are already part of the family."

"Am I?"

"You are. Same with Haoran. Our journey together may be short, but you two are the people I'll cherish forever." Maxi leaned on the wooden railings. They were nearing Sittwe. "Once we finish our business in Yangguang, both of you will have your own agendas that wouldn't require me and my crew anymore."

"Maxi…"

It was true. Talking about this now with him, she would really miss everyone very much. Maxi, his crew, and Haoran… The bonds she forged with them would never waver.

She had to lighten up the mood. Yangguang was still far, and if they spent the last few days on a sad note, saying goodbye would bring more pain than intended.

The woman walked towards his side. She reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. When he turned around, Trine smiled at him. "We'll make these last few days together a moment to remember everyday."

Maxi nodded with his signature grin. "You're right. I'll make sure you'll always remember me, Trine."

"Likewise." Trine pulled her hand back then motioned her hand on his weapon. "Can you tell me about your fighting style? It's really unique and, it's like…" Her smile widened. "Very _you_, if you get what I mean."

Maxi shook his head with a smile. "I just added my spin on it. You know, inventing some of the fancy stuff to make it as your own style."

"I see. My mother did encouraged me to add my own flare so I can fully utilize my blade. So, who taught you to fight?"

"My father taught me how to defend myself. Most of the moves I have came from an old Ryukyu style. A martial artist who booked passage on my father's ship once showed me a few things, too." Maxi took out his dual nunchucks and presented it to her. "He used the same weapon as me, but he was _way_ better… in terms of combat and utilizing his environment when fighting. He made me realize that my world was still so small, that what I know so far was still limited compared to him."

His grip on the nunchucks tightened, then flashed her another smirk. "I'm not saying I already know a lot by now, but meeting you fueled my desire to travel further. Your style is also unique, you're really graceful and neat. Maybe when the time comes, I can visit you in your hometown."

"When the time comes, Maxi. Once all of this is over." Trine glanced up at the sky. The sky was filled with clouds, the sunlight became softer. "I wish there was another way for me to live, I didn't choose this world, it's what I found myself in. It's too late for me to get back on the simpler times, especially with how the world had changed for the worst." She glanced back at Maxi, her smile now gentle. "The road ahead will be hard. We're not sure if Haoran is safe or not, but whatever the case, I'm ready."

"We're ready." Maxi reached up and placed his hand on her shoulder. "If something happens to Haoran, we can bring him back."

"Right."

The howl of the wind disrupted them from talking further. When they looked up, they saw the sky getting gloomier. They were nearing the harbor of Sittwe, too.

"It's about to rain…"

"That's nothing to worry about." Maxi motioned his hand towards his crew. "I'll go check on them to see if there's something worth noting for. We're now heading on the harbor of Sittwe, after all."

* * *

Trine noticed a lone sailor staring at the mouth of the harbor. He had a perturbed look on his face. The woman was trying to get more information about the Astral Fissures as well as the situation in Yangguang, but nothing new turned up from her search, other than the fact that they just need a few more days to arrive towards their destination. She approached the sailor and asked him what was wrong.

"Hmm… That merchant ship's in real trouble…"

The woman shifted her gaze back to the harbor. From there, she saw an extravagant European merchant ship on a collision course with a small galley. Her brows furrowed when the galley didn't budge from its course. "Why is the galley not taking evasive maneuvers? They're going to crash!"

"The pilot on that merchant ship is probably in cahoots with the crew of the galley."

"What?" Trine frowned at the information. That was one dirty scheme.

"Truth is, the galley's a pirate ship…" The sailor trailed off when a loud bang emerged from a distance. Both of them turned their heads back on the harbor, witnessing both ships colliding. "Oh, would you look at that! They crashed." He shrugged his shoulders. "What a shame."

Her frown deepened when the sailor spoke his words nonchalantly. Seeing that the sailor wasn't going to check up on the people involved, she decided to approach the situation from afar and observed whether there were any casualties.

Upon taking a closer look, both the merchant ship and the galley managed to make it to the docks without sinking, despite being heavily damaged by the impact. This was definitely a planned ploy for something she didn't know. Looting riches, perhaps?

Everyone got out of their respective ships unscathed. When a young European stepped off the merchant ship, he was quickly surrounded by a group of brawny, pirate men.

This was an easy picking for them. Trine decided to be alert as she kept observing the situation. If push comes to shove, she felt inclined to disrupt the situation and dissolve it through words.

The European took a step forward towards the group of men, a furrowed brows and a displeased frown on his face. "That was disrespectful of you guys!"

The pirates didn't flinch at his shouting. He took a deep breath, and his face became calmer. "Though, I guess we crashed into each other, so we're both at fault…" The young man shifted his gaze from behind, then scanned his surroundings. HIs face was filled with visible confusion. "Come to think of it, where is my pilot…?"

He trailed off, then his eyes widened from realization. "...Oh, I get it now!" He nodded his head as he crossed his arms. "He's one of your buddies. He made sure our ships rammed into each other!"

So he wasn't as gullible as she thought… That was good on his part, but saying that out loud…

"What the hell did you just say?!" One of the brawny pirates snarled at him. "How dare you accuse us of somethin' like that?!"

Well, he was doomed. Trine saw him jump from his place, his skin turning white.

"Oh, my! It looks like I'm in a real pickle, doesn't it?" Sweating, the young man surveyed his surroundings. "Let's see…"

There was no one nearby to lend a helping hand. There was also no signs of guards that would help deal with this situation. When the woman glanced back at the docks, he saw the man was now gazing at her. Trine felt her _own_ sweat forming from her forehead. She dreaded the idea of getting dragged into this situation, _especially _since she just wanted to gather more information until the crew returned from Maxi's ship-

"Hey, you there! Would you mind giving me a hand?"

Trine was about to explain her situation but the pirates quickly shifted their attention towards her, their faces filled with irritation.

The same pirate who got offended pointed his finger towards her. "So you're on this guy's side, huh? You're both dead meat!"

Sensing there was no way of clearing things up through words, Trine unsheathed her dual sabers and faced the group of brawny men with a small smirk. "You know, for getting angry at being accused for what he assumes, you're quick to jump the gun as well." She held the hilt of the sword on one hand, then signalled her other hand on them to come to her. "I won't back down from a fight, though."

The pirate growled, then yelled at his crew to rush towards her. Their weapons were ready to be swung, but judging with how damp the floor was from the crash, it was easy to lose their grip on their hold. Trine readied herself to face the first pirate, the tip of his halberd facing forward as he ran towards her. Smirking, she sidestepped to the left then stuck out her foot, colliding against his ankles. The poor pirate smacked face-first on the ground, the halberd landing near the edge of the docks.

When she turned around, the woman saw two other men closing in. Trine slid forward and swung her blade to the right, striking their ankles. Both of them were unable to react fast enough to parry her strike, as both of them were struck from their backs, slamming their faces against the ground.

Witnessing their fellow pirates kissing the ground from force, the rest of the brawny men fled from the scene. Since these men weren't malfested, Trine decided to leave them alone and approach the young man with a frown. She saw him with an awed look, and he gave her a wide smile.

"Oh, my! You're quite strong! Thanks for your help!"

Trine crossed her arms with a small sigh. "I really should be going, but luckily, I still have some time to help you." She let out another small sigh then extended her hand. "My name's Trine. What's yours?"

The young man accepted her gesture and shook her hand. "The name's Thomas. I'm a merchant from the Netherlands who's scouring the world for hitherto unseen treasures!"

"Uh huh…" Trine was skeptical with his declaration, but hearing he came from the Netherlands piqued her interest. It was a country with a rising power whose ships can be seen all across the seven seas. Ah, she remembered now. Her father used to pilot one of the ships, considering they lived near Europe.

"As you can see, my prized vessel isn't fit to sail in its current state. Worse, I'm in no position to pay for the repairs."

The ship was definitely pretty banged up, and if it took more damage, it would surely sink to the bottom. And the repairs would be pretty pricey if there was more damage than meets the eye…

"Would you be able to help me out?"

Trine gave him a puzzled look.

"Of course, I'll reward you later and make the investment worthwhile. What do you say?"

The woman wanted to refuse, she didn't know how much she needed in her journey to harness all of the fissure's powers, but at the same time, she just couldn't outright deny his cry for help. Thomas had a cheerful haughtiness to him, and he was brimming with a strange yet enticing charm. He didn't struck out as someone who scheme on people for his own advantage, and he definitely seemed honest, albeit odd.

Trine took out her pouch from her bag and handed him some coins that amounted to a total of five hundred gold. "Here. This should be enough."

His face brightened up as he gratefully accepted her help. "Thank you kindly, friend! I'll head straight to a notary and get them to issue a promissory note right away!"

"There's no need for that, Thomas." Trine shook her head, and gave him a small smile. "It'll only take more time, and I really need to go."

"I see." His grin became bashful. "Thanks again for your help. Without you, I don't know if I can even make it out alive."

"Don't mention it."

Thomas pointed his thumb towards himself. "I'm well-known for being a man of my word, so rest assured that you'll see a nice return on your investment!"

"I'll take your word for it." With a small wave, Trine headed back to the docks.

Yangguang should be another day or two ride from the sea, according to the townsfolk nearby. The rain fell down earlier, but it was a very minimal one. The sky appeared to be clearing up, and she could see the sun rays peeking out from the clouds. Hopefully, this should be a sign of smooth sailing in the next few days.

* * *

Another day had passed, and the sky was gloomier than yesterday. Trine was standing near the wooden railings. She observed how the waves collided against the ship due to the heavy winds. Kyam hummed nearby, his arms crossed and his brows creased.

"The winds have changed, and the sky's lookin' nasty. The sea's gonna get rough."

"The sky cleared yesterday, too. I guess the storm came back with a vengeance." Trine gave the two of them a cheeky grin.

Maxi smirked in response. "Those clouds mean trouble, with how dark they are… We're gonna have to weather it." He shifted his attention towards his crew. "Everyone, get ready for a wild ride!"

Kyam nodded his head. "Normally I'd play it safe, but we're short on time… 'In for a penny, in for a pound,' I say!"

If they decided to stop by on another nearby harbor, it would be too late to find out what was going on in Yangguang, but at the same time, they were taking a bold risk traveling through the heavy storm. She mused that everyone here was used to making unsafe decisions to head toward their destinations on time, even if all of them were having anxiety on the outcome.

The rain finally dropped, and it was a heavy one. The winds were starting to blow stronger as well. Trine watched them perform their tasks as they yelled out commands for one another.

* * *

"What are we gonna do, brother? Ain't got the materials to fix the ship…"

The damage was definitely heavy, especially after being buffeted by the wind while sailing through the heavy storm. They managed to last for a whole day until they were pushed back to the point of crashing through a nearby land. Thankfully, there were no casualties involved, and everyone seemed to be in good shape. They managed to survive the night as usual in their quarters.

Maxi had his arms crossed as his gaze was fixated on the ship. Judging from his reaction, this should still be manageable to fix, it was just that there were no materials to fix it right now. None of them even knew where they crashed. But they were in an open field with hills nearby, so that was a less danger than crashing close to a forest.

"Brother!"

We turned towards the direction of the voice. One of his crew just came back from running up the hill. "Some merchants are bein' attacked on the other side o' the hill! Gotta be bandits!"

"What?!" Hearing those words, Maxi's hands clenched into fists, his brows furrowed deep. "We've gotta do something!" He turned his head towards her. "Trine, help us out!"

"Got it!"

* * *

Running up to the other side of the hill, they saw a group of men opposite of a lone merchant. The others probably had already fled the scene when they were coming. All of them had their lower faces covered with a clothed masks, and they were donned with a straw hat. They didn't look like samurais, judging by their slim blades. Assassins, perhaps?

They were still far from them. The merchant was defenseless.

"Let's move, Maxi!"

They hastened their pace, approaching their destination. It was a matter of time before the assassin initiate its first move.

"You're outta luck, Kongwang. This is as far as you go."

"Hmm, yes…" The old man narrowed his eyes. "You're one of Lin Pei's stooges. You need a better disguise. Your weapon and stance betray you."

The assassin readied his blade. "Hmph. It doesn't matter, you're still going to die."

"Gormless brat!" Kongwang readied himself. "You think you can beat me?!"

"Hold it!"

Maxi cut in between the old man and the assassin, weapon and stance ready. Trine followed suit, her focus on the old man. She saw him wheezing and gasping for air.

"G-Good timing! This fiend wants defenseless old me dead! Please help!"

"Leave it to me, old man." Maxi waved his hand. "You stand back."

Her eyes were narrowed, but she shifted her gaze away from the old man. There was something about the merchant that bothered her, but it was their task to defend him, not interrogate him.

"Hmph. You have no idea who you face, stranger. Prepare to die."

"Are you ready, partner?" Maxi spared a glance at her.

"Always am." Dual sabers out, Trine tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She waited for one of them to make the first move, preparing to observe how they fight first before she went on the offensive.

* * *

The battle was tough, especially with their numbers and their skills, but both Maxi and Trine succeeded in claiming victory. The assassins retreated without any other words.

The three of them went back to the other side of the hill to return to Maxi's crew. When they were near, both of them turned to face the old merchant.

"You really got me out of a tight spot there. Such skill." He nodded his head, his face filled with admiration. "Maxi, my friend, I owe you and your companion my life!"

Maxi narrowed his eyes then glanced at Trine. Seeing that the woman merely gave him a shrug, he turned his face back on the merchant. "Uh… do I know you?"

"No, but I know you." Kongwang finally smiled at them. "I'm something of… a dealer of information."

"A dealer?" Trine crossed her arms. This merchant was way suspicious.

"Yes, a dealer. I introduce people to mercenaries and bodyguards, so I keep my ears open for tales of capable fighters. Rumors of you and your crew's exploits, Maxi, are ten a penny."

"Right." Maxi took a step back and gave Trine a reluctant look. "I think I'm gonna regret helping this guy. He's kind of creepin' me out."

"The feeling's mutual, Maxi." The woman frowned at him. "He seems way too suspicious… especially with how those assassins targeted him."

Kongwang was already inspecting the broken ship from a distance. "Is that ship yours?"

"Yeah, it's ours." Maxi approached him.

"Hmm, yes…" Kongwang's face brightened up as he faced Maxi. "Ho ho, as a thanks for your help, allow me to lend you my service… free of charge."

Maxi was quiet for a moment before nodding his head. "My ship ran aground in the storm yesterday, so I'd appreciate a little help with the repairs."

It was hard to deny the merchant's help, even if they were feeling reluctant on interacting with him further.

"Hmm, yes… Consider me at your service… However…"

The merchant's voice clearly demanded compensation. Maxi knew how to deal with him with a stoic look.

"Yeah, yeah. People want you dead. Don't worry, we'll keep an eye on you."

"In which case, please escort me to the town near here. It's not far." He smiled at them. "Ho ho ho…"

Trine glanced at Maxi. "So, what's the plan?"

"Well, we've got to watch the ship and get started on repairs…" Maxi looked at the ship, where the rest of the crew was located. They were inspecting the damages while others were discussing on how to fix their beloved ship. "Hmm… Where are we, exactly?"

"Malay Peninsula. There's nothing to worry about." The merchant nodded. "Well?"

Maxi raised his hand to signal the merchant to wait. He continued gazing at the ship before turning to face Trine. "Hey, partner."

"Yes, Maxi?"

"Do me a favor and go with him. If any more bad guys show up, you know what to do. Keep going and you should get to Yangguang before long."

Her heart sank when she heard those words. Their plans to have another adventure with Haoran, make more memorable moments with them, and to keep building their bonds together… It was not meant to be. She felt herself getting weak, to lose his companion _so soon_… Her heart was unable to accept this.

There _had _to be another way.

Maxi gave him a reassuring smile. He walked closer and gave her a tight hug. "Chin up, Trine. We'll still see each other again."

The woman wanted to fight back, she wanted to pull him along on this task, but she knew deep down he was right. She had to go on alone, with this merchant with calculating gaze and a cunning mind. She returned his embrace with her own, a tighter hold than his.

"Whatever happens next, please, don't forget about me, Maxi."

"I won't, Trine. I promise."

He was the first to pull back. Maxi kept smiling at him as he reached up to pat her head. "The repair on the ship will take more time than necessary, and you need to go there now."

Trine could only nod.

"I can't guarantee this, but maybe once the repair's done, I could catch up to you when you're still around with Haoran." Maxi motioned his head to the side. "I'm not promising anything, but keep that in mind."

"Alright, I'll accompany him."

When Trine turned towards the merchant, she saw he was just standing nearby, observing her parting moments with Maxi.

"Hmm, yes… You look like the strong sort. I'm grateful for your assistance." His voice sounded sincere for once.

The woman gave him a firm nod before turning back to Maxi.

"See you next time, partner." She mustered up the strength to give him the warmest smile she could give at this moment.

"See you next time, partner." Maxi gave her a large grin. "Just make sure to watch yourself out there. If the opportunity arises, I swear I'll show you more about the fun side of sailing, because this is only just the beginning!"

Her spirits had been lifted. Her smile widened at the thought. "I can't wait, then."

"In the meantime, stay savvy, and say hello to Haoran for me."

"I will, partner."

Trine walked closer to give Maxi another warm, tight hug. The moment lasted for as long as they could before she finally went on ahead for good. The woman looked back to see him waving his hand, his grin never wavering. She grinned back, and waved her own hand before turning around to accompany the old merchant.

The next town should be close to Yangguang. May Haoran still be safe.

* * *

Notes:

\- As stated in the last chapter, I added additional choice options from the previous events and added them here.

\- Next chapter will now feature Mitsurugi, and I plan to add my own spin on him to give him more character than how this game portrayed him to be, especially on Libra of Souls.

\- The next chapter is a continuation of this chapter. I have to cut it in half to keep the theme of the chapter, which is Trine and Maxi's friendship.


	10. Has It Been Too Late?

The journey to the old merchant's shop had been peaceful. There were no signs of assassins from earlier that planned to attack them when they rest at the town's humble inn. It had been a few days since Trine ventured forward without Maxi's company, and she'd missed the pirate dearly.

Traveling alone wouldn't be something she would get used to instantly.

Kongwang was okay to interact with, but he was more focused on his business than initiating trivial chat with her. She didn't mind that, though. The sooner she accompanied him back to where he belonged, the better. If she wanted to deal with her own woes, she rather deal with it alone. She shared it with Maxi and Haoran because she trusted the two of them, and they were cherished friends. They deserved to know her condition, and she didn't want to deceive them.

A few months had passed since the first day she'd awoken from this world. Some of her fragmented memories slowly came back, but the identity of someone dear to her was still lost inside her mind. If the gray hair was any indication, would she meet the man in black ever again? And if she did, would she finally get to ask him questions and receive answers?

She knew some of herself, but not all. Trine was comfortable enough to forget about the rest of herself. Change was inevitable as she kept growing stronger and improving who she was now.

As she continued to pursue the powers of the Astral Fissures, there were two things that she would never stop searching for: the identity of someone who she held close in her heart, and the reason why she sought strength in the first place, that she chose to become stronger and be far away from her beloved.

The sound of leaves being crushed under their feet made way to her ears, snapping her out from her thoughts. The pathway they were treading was filled with trees, but not enough to be considered a forest. Trine could see various hills and mountains from afar.

"Not much further, now. My shop is just over there." Kongwang's tone had been more serious ever since they got to spend some days traveling together. He still retained his dubiousness with his usual cackle, but his gaze held more interest than before.

When Trine looked back at him, the monocle on his left eye glimmered. He had a small smile on his lips. "By 'shop' I mean, well…" The old merchant cleared his throat. "It's more of a tavern than anything."

The woman narrowed her eyes. "You're a merchant from a tavern?"

"As I mentioned, I'm what you'd call a middleman. I connect people who want something done with the people who can do it."

Her lips curled into a frown while she raised her eyebrows. "Is this why you don't have much stuff with you? Or are you just pretending to be a merchant?"

"You could say my merchandise is people." A dry chuckle escaped his lips.

"Right, that makes sense…" Trine slowly nodded her head. Hearing those words from him, it was safe to say she had no faith in him at all. She bet that this old merchant wanted to appraise potential 'merchandise' when he asked for a bodyguard, especially with his remark from the other day. Her thinning patience must be because of him, too.

The woman could see a large opening on the path they were taking. As they kept on walking, she realized that their scenery was slowly changing. There were a handful of people around now, they seemed to be travelers of some sort. They made their way to the opening of a bustling town. The smell of fresh soup wafted through her nose, but the direction they were heading on was the opposite of the food stall.

After crossing the path to the left, Trine saw what she assumed to be the tavern Kongwang was talking about. They stopped in front of the entrance.

"It may not be a palace, but make yourself at home." Kongwang bowed his head.

The woman had no time to survey her surroundings when she saw a swordsman approaching their direction. His long, raven hair was tied in a ponytail. By the looks of his eastern-like armor and garb, and the sword attached on his hip, he looked like a samurai.

"Hey, old man! What do we have here?" He nodded his head to Trine. "New blood?"

"Indeed, and quite skilled!" Kongwang gave him a hearty chuckle.

Trine furrowed her brows as she glanced between the two men. She could hear what they were saying…

"Yes, hmm…" Kongwang gave him a sly smirk. "Perhaps even more so than you, Mitsurugi..."

The woman looked back at Mitsurugi. She was expecting to see him scowl at the comment, but his face was bright, a large grin adorning his lips.

"Oh, is that so?"

A young samurai with a fierce black eyes… Despite his rather approachable look, he seemed to be older than her. She saw Mitsurugi walked towards her with a serious look.

"Hello there, stranger. My name is Heishiro Mitsurugi, and I'm feeling bored." He stretched his arms and rolled his shoulders. "How about a friendly match?"

"My name's Trine." She took hold of the hilt of her blades and flashed him her own grin. "I wouldn't mind getting to know you by fighting you first."

"Hah! I like you already, Trine!" Mitsurugi signalled his hand to follow her. "Come, let's go to an open field to fight. We don't want to disturb any patrons."

* * *

As soon as they stood their ground on the field, Trine quickly rushed into Mitsurugi and pivoted her left foot, twisting her body to the right. Her right arm swung to the right, slashing her weapon on Mitsurugi's chestplate. He staggered from the impact, a grunt escaping his lips. This was the perfect opening for her to place all of her weight on her right foot to spin her body to the left. She swung her arms to the left, delivering a powerful slash of her blades. The blow of her dual sabers sent Mitsurugi spinning to the ground.

The woman didn't waste time as she ran up towards him. When she saw him recover with a grunt, Trine jumped in the air with a spinning high jump kick. Her attack was blocked by Mitsurugi's sword; he held up his blade, the tip pointing towards the ground. Trine landed with ease, then gripped the hilts of her sword with both hands. She swung her blades with a battle cry, their weapons clashing as Mitsurugi repositioned his sword to deflect her strike. Recovering from the impact of their blades, Trine gripped the hilts back to her right hand behind her back, her eyes never leaving her opponent.

"Let's see what you can do!" Mitsurugi yelled as he blocked another swing of her dual sabers. As Trine took a step backward, he raised his arms, bringing his sword behind him, then swung it downward, leaving Trine no room to react. The woman groaned when his blade struck her torso, then she hissed when he slashed his sword upward, staggering her. Shaking her head, she circled to the left, with Mitsurugi doing the same. Trine took a step forward, about to deliver another swing of her blades but Mitsurugi's move was faster. He placed all of his weight on his left foot as he spun to the right, both of his hands gripped the hilt of his sword tight. He swung with all his might, his sword hitting Trine on the shoulder.

The woman screamed as she fell to her knees, the hit was too much to endure. As Mitsurugi rushed in to deliver a slash, Trine quickly rise from her feet to deflect his blade. With a small distance between them, she slid forward, separating her dual sabers and holding them individually. She turned his back on him then reconnected the blades, spinning them around. Mitsurugi braced himself as he guarded the strikes, the impact forcing him to slide back.

When Mitsurugi crouched down and raised his sword towards her, it was the opening she needed to thrusts her dual sabers forward, jerking her knee against his stomach as she slammed her blades towards him. Mitsurugi groaned as he staggered backward, leaving him defenseless for her next move. With her back turned on him, Trine separated her dual sabers and spun around to face him. She crouched down, her arms spread out, then slashed her blade around, ducking in the process. As the samurai coughed, Trine turned to the right, delivering a barrage of blows from her dual sabers.

"It's over!" She yelled as she delivered her final strike, sending Mitsurugi sliding on the ground.

Trine connected the hilts of her blades together as she watched him stand up with a groan. She gave herself time to breathe oxygen back in her lungs, her chest rising and falling as she panted. Mitsurugi gave him a smirk and readied his sword.

"You _are _strong, but we're not done yet!"

Trine spun her blades around and switched it to her right hand. "Are you sure? I think we'd spoken enough."

"I still have the strength in me, so fight me with everything you got!"

Trine held the hilt of her blades with both hands. She crouched down as she kept staring at his face. He was not the person who backs down so easily. "So be it. Show me your resiliency!"

Mitsurugi roared in response, channeling his strength as he raised his sword.

Their eyes locked on each other, none of them moved for several seconds. In a blink of an eye, Trine was sprinting towards the samurai, her weapon trailing behind. Mitsurugi circled to the right, narrowly evading the leaping strike she did to hit him. He parried her slashes of her dual sabers, each strike forcing him back from the ground. When he dropped his guard, Trine quickly delivered a swing of her blades, sending him toppling in the air. She thrusted her sword forward, striking his chest, then placed her weight on her right foot as she swung her blades downward.

The woman turned around and took a deep breath. Mitsurugi rose from the ground with a grunt. He shook his head, and readied his stance again. He was one stubborn opponent, but his strength to keep going was admirable.

Trine took a deep breath as she watched him ran up towards her. As he raised his arms to deliver another swing of his sword, Trine deflected his attack with a swing of her own. They delivered a slash, which resulted with their blades clashing from impact. He saw his arms rising again, and remembering Master Drona's words, battle ebb and flow. She swiftly kicked him in the shins, then delivered a barrage of slashes that sent him toppling towards the ground.

Mitsurugi grunted as he heaved out a deep sigh. He sheathed his sword as he panted. "I'd been defeated… By a woman, too!" He cracked a large grin. "Not bad!"

Trine sheathed her blades back on her hips. She quickly glanced down to see her cloak suffered heavy damages. A shame, she would have to discard this once there was too many slashes to keep her warm.

She faced the man and returned his grin with her own. "You're not too shabby yourself. Your strength is admirable."

"We'll get along just fine, then!" Mitsurugi nodded his head. "Let's head back to Kongwang. He should still be outside."

* * *

Mitsurugi told Kongwang about their friendly duel after they returned to the entrance of the tavern. Trine stood close to the samurai, observing the merchant's reactions.

"Hmm, yes… You really are skilled, aren't you?" Kongwang nodded his head, a satisfied smile on his lips. "Mitsurugi here is my best warrior, and that's no lie."

A hearty laughter escaped his lips. "None of the fighters here a match for me, so it was invigorating to spar with someone of your caliber for a change."

"Ah." She nodded her head. "Well, I'm glad I have the strength and the skills to match my style."

"Mitsurugi, Trine here has some business in Yangguang."

"Yangguang?" Mitsurugi's eyes went wide. "What a coincidence! So do I."

Trine glanced at Kongwang, then back at Mitsurugi.

"I've saved enough coin here to continue, so I was thinking of catching a boat there to Japan."

"You took jobs here as a mercenary?"

"Yes. I'd searched for strong opponents to fight along the way, but none can even lay a finger on me."

Trine understood where this conversation was heading. Since Kongwang was safely escorted back to his tavern, and Mitsurugi was also heading to the same place as her, it wouldn't be _too _bad to have another traveling companion.

"Well, it seems like we're heading in the same place. You wouldn't mind having a traveling companion, do you?"

Mitsurugi grinned at her. "I don't mind! Let's head to Yangguang together, then! Always better to have company on the road."

"I can agree on that." Trine nodded her head.

"Yes, hmm… It will be a shame to lose you, Mitsurugi." Kongwang glanced at the two of them with a frown. "I'm going to have to rethink my plans…"

The woman gave him a sympathetic look. "I'm sure you'll find someone with capable strength as us, soon."

Hearing those words, the merchant smiled. "Thanks for all your help, Trine. If you need anything, you know where to find me."

"As long as you remember to do your end of the deal." She spoke with a light-hearted tone, but the furrow of her brows gave off a menacing aura.

Kongwang nodded his head. A sweat rolled down from his temple. "Of course. A merchant's word is his honor. Ho ho ho…"

She guessed all merchants has a code of conduct of being true to their promises. "Well, we should be going now. When you return, tell Maxi I'll be heading to Yangguang soon."

"Yes, yes." There was a stutter on his words. "You can count on me."

"Let's go, Trine!" Mitsurugi waved his hand to the merchant. "And farewell to you, Kongwang!"

The merchant chuckled as he gave them a parting wave. Trine and Mitsurugi headed to the west, their conversation started with the results of their duels from earlier.

* * *

Just as what the woman had suspected, Mitsurugi was indeed a samurai. Trudging inside another secluded forest path, she listened to his tale on why he was traveling in the first place.

"...I left my homeland to search for a legendary sword called Soul Edge."

"Soul Edge…" The name sounded menacing, but since it was a legendary sword, she assumed no ordinary warrior could take a hold of it unless they proved their strength. "Why do you seek this sword, Mitsurugi?"

"I am a warrior, sworn to the sword. I wanted Soul Edge to help prove that a blade can be stronger than any Tanegashima."

"Tanegashima?" Trine quirked her eyebrows. "What's that?"

"It's a weapon coming from abroad. They were far better than the blades we are using, as they could simple aim and fire." Mitsurugi scowled and shook his head. "They'd conquered my homeland, and with a weapon that can strike people from afar, it seemed like a fair disadvantage for us that wield the blades."

"Seems like it."

"I got shot in the right shoulder one time." Mitsurugi patted his hand on the source of his old wound. "I had the chance to fight against someone who wielded Tanegashima after I returned to my motherland. When searching for opponents to spar with, I ended up participating in a tournament. When I found out my next opponent had the Tanegashima, I was pumped!" A large grin formed on his lips. "I fought with all my might, but when I got shot, it was over. I tried to keep fighting, but I was too weak to continue. Nevertheless, it inspired me to be stronger, and to learn more about various fighting techniques from all over the world."

"As you travel and seek strong opponents… I'm sure you learned a lot by now." Trine muttered as she placed her hand under her chin.

Was this why she chose to leave him alone back then? To seek more strength, but for what?

_They appeared last year, in 1583. No one knew where they came from, but I'm sure they're all over the world by now._

"I have." Mitsurugi grinned, unaware of her inner introspection. "There are many techniques and skills on the way of wielding different weapons. Once I know how someone fights, I should just topple them with my own strength. If I win, it's either they were weak, or I'd improved my skills in combat. If I lose, I still have a lot of things to learn." He nodded his head. "How about you? How did you become so strong?"

"Me?" Blinking, Trine realized they were still inside the forest, following a wider path towards their next destination in Indochina.

She didn't want to admit she was thinking about what had happened to her before she returned in this world, he was no Maxi nor he would understand what had happened to her right now. "Like you, I battled with strong opponents to become stronger." It wasn't a lie, but she wasn't sure if that was what she'd done before her life abruptly ended. "When I headed to India, I heard about a dojo residing from the mountains. I went there and met Master Drona. From there, I learned a lot from him in just a few days of staying in his dojo."

"You sought guidance from a dojo master?" Mitsurugi quirked his eyebrows. He couldn't understand why someone as capable as her would still train on a place where they help newcomers fight. "But you are strong, and maybe stronger than them. Why?"

Trine shook her head, a small smile on her lips. "As you said earlier, when you're defeated, you still have a lot of things to learn. When you win, you're convinced you'd improved. I trained under Master Drona to understand the basic fundamentals of fighting, and remembering those basic fundamentals will help me find a way to turn the tides of a losing battle." She motioned her hand. "Like from our friendly spar, you were actually a formidable foe. Your resilience to never surrender was admirable, even if you were already exhausted and beaten up, you would still stand up and wield your blade. But the only reason I won was because I was three steps ahead of you. I'd learned to read your movement."

Mitsurugi was quiet, his face was stern. He nodded his head as he closed his eyes. "...I see. I finally understand now." His eyes opened and a small smirk curled on his lips. "It has been an interesting journey I had. Twice I'd never found the legendary sword. A dog chasing his tail has more luck than I."

Trine gave him a sympathetic look. "How long did you search for Soul Edge?"

"I'd been searching for Soul Edge for three years now, but like the first search I'd done, it ended in a failure. I couldn't find its whereabouts, no matter how hard I sought it. There was no concrete clue on its whereabouts. Some say it lies in the hands of a pirate, some say wealthy merchants are seeking it..."

"Sounds like a very elusive sword." A playful grin emerged from her lips.

"I hear so many stories, but I think I should be asking you about the sword."

Trine shook her head. "Sorry, but I never knew of its existence until now."

"Fair." Mitsurugi gazed on ahead. "I shall abandon my search and consider my journey valuable training. Many strong warriors exist throughout the world. If I had stayed in Japan, I would never have known of this." He paused, then glanced back at Trine. "I finally get it. What I'd been seeking was in front of me all along."

"What's that?"

"True strength lies within a person. If I can defeat many opponents with this blade I have, then so be it."

They kept walking forward, with no sign of stopping soon. The sun was still bright out, was it already in the afternoon? Trine felt like she was so disconnected with time and day, ever since from recovering her conscience.

Mitsurugi's words rang inside her head.

_True strength lies within a person_.

"...But I don't know if ships have been sailing from Yangguang. The old man says something peculiar is going over there, something about an 'epic demic', but he's not especially trustworthy." He gave her an inquisitive look. "So, why do you wish to head there?"

"Epidemic." She corrected him. "Anyway, I'm heading to Yangguang because of the commotion going on. My friend's in trouble and I have to lend my aid as quickly as I can, and if I'm lucky, he's still breathing in one piece. If my hunch is right…" Trine clenched her fists. "This was caused by the appearance of the Astral Fissures, and it's my goal to harness its powers."

Her hands relaxed as she heaved out a deep breath. When she looked back at Mitsurugi, she saw him with a puzzled look.

"'Astul fishies'...? Never heard of them."

"_Astral Fissures_."

"Astral Fissures?"

"Yes." Trine frowned. "You're not good with some words, huh?"

"I guess? Never bothered with it. It doesn't help me become stronger." Mitsurugi shrugged his shoulders. "Still, the direction we head is the same, so I shall join you."

"That's a relief to hear." She truly meant that. With Mitsurugi in tow, it should be smooth sailing when dealing with the future obstacles as she gets closer to the fissure. She gave him a small smile. "I'm glad you'll join me, par- _pal_."

Right, he wasn't Maxi. If she called him partner, he would think she's being weird. She averted her gaze to focus on the road ahead. She wondered if Maxi finally fixed his ship, and if Kongwang stayed true to his words?

_I can't guarantee this, but maybe once the repair's done, I could catch up to you when you're still around with Haoran. I'm not promising anything, but keep that in mind._

Maybe she could stay for a week for him. Yes, seven days after dealing with the fissure should be reasonable.

His hearty laughter snapped her out of her trance. "You have nothing to fear with me near!"

The woman gave him a smile in return. As they continued to venture deep within the forest, she glanced up from the sky. It was turning into an orange hue, the sun was about to set. She glanced back at Mitsurugi. He was a rather eccentric fellow, but his company was welcomed. Seeing as there was no sign of nearby town ahead, they would have to camp around soon.

* * *

It was the same old nightmare. She thought it was gone and over with now. The large sword was looming in, beckoning her to come closer, to give up her soul.

No, she wouldn't give in.

She would defy her fate!

_Hey…_

A sharp pain emerged from her stomach.

"Hey, wake up!"

Opening her eyes with a groan, Trine saw Mitsurugi looking down at her with a deep scowl. "You were screaming in your sleep. It was noisy, so I kicked you until you woke up." His face softened once he realized what he'd just said. He reached out his hand. "Everything okay?"

Trine grabbed hold of his hand and pulled herself up with a grunt. The kick to her stomach was solid. Ignoring the physical pain she was experiencing, Trine did her best to explain to him that if she didn't absorb power from the astral fissures, she would die. She didn't go into full detail like how she did with both Maxi and Haoran, it would be too much for Mitsurugi to even understand her situation.

She saw his brow deepened as he hummed, his arms now crossed. "Honestly, your whole tale is hard to swallow."

This was exactly why she opted to omit as much details as possible.

"But I can tell something's got you jumpy, at least."

"Knowing you'll die soon if you don't do anything about it will make people jumpy…" Trine placed her hand on her head, massaging her temple. "I have to hurry…"

The samurai nodded, despite being clueless on her situation. "Very well. Tomorrow, we hasten our pace."

"Thank you."

"Do you need anything else?"

She shook her head. "No. Sorry if I disturbed you."

"It's fine. Sleep tight, we need to have full energy if we're going to be quick tomorrow."

Mitsurugi went back to his sleeping area. Trine slowly sat back down on the ground. It had been longer than she realized since she last absorbed the power of an astral fissure. A month or so? It was evident that she had to get one as quickly as possible, but they must keep on resting right now.

Maxi, Haoran… please be safe.

* * *

Mitsurugi fulfilled his promise. At the end of dawn, they departed, and soon, they were now nearing the nearby village. The samurai suggested to stop by on the village first to resupply, and gather more information on Yangguang. It was the more logical approach, so she agreed.

Trine kept the gnawing headache from him. The sooner they gathered as much information as they could in Tonkin, the better.

They stopped at a nearby tavern, and they were given a warm welcome by the keeper. Seated and served with a hearty meal, Mitsurugi consumed his food with much gusto.

The woman merely stared at her food. The headache, the worry, it was overwhelming her. Would they meet the Qualifiers again? Would Mitsurugi be capable of dealing either of them on his own? Would the man in black get in her way because she harnessed the power of the fissure? Her breathing became erratic as she felt her blood run cold.

"You don't look well at all, Trine." Mitsurugi pushed the plate of grilled steak towards her. "Eat heartily. Get some fire in your belly."

She glanced up at him, and offered a small smile she could muster right now. He was right, after all.

"Who knows what awaits us on the road ahead?" He gave her a friendly grin. "A true warrior must be fully prepared to fight at all times."

Again, he was right. Nodding, she slowly consumed her meal. Trine told herself to finish everything on her plate, as she had a large appetite, and used up more energy than necessary. Relying on the sweets Haoran gave her wouldn't cut it, nor the canned rations she hoarded months ago.

"I won't complain if you want to order a feast, so please, enjoy your meal." The tavern keeper smiled at them.

With her encouragement, Mitsurugi ordered another meal. Seeing him carefree and smiling often, he was oblivious to the dire situation of the world, it seems. Her smile faltered. How would he react once he realized the world they were living in right now? He was a capable warrior, but was he capable enough to face a horde of malfesteds?

Trine shook her head. If she kept worrying, the vulnerability of her soul would be the perfect opportunity for the Astral Chaos to take hold of her. She had to be stronger, to have a stronger will. The pain would be greater as she goes on, so she must be ready to face such adversaries. The woman raised her hand to order another meal.

* * *

Once the bill has been paid, Mitsurugi took the initiative to explain to the tavern keeper.

"We intend to go to Yangguang, but we heard things are rough there. Do you know anything?"

Her smile slipped at the mention of Yangguang. She ducked her head. "I hear things there are…" The tavern keeper took a deep breath. "...quite bad."

Trine narrowed her eyes. "What happened?"

"A number of people were attacked, and when they caught the culprit, it turned out to be one of the townspeople gone mad."

"A malfested…" She whispered under her breath. Her hands were clenched into fists, the beating of her heart becoming louder.

"Soon, more and more people began acting strangely, the killings resumed, and the body began to pile up. That was when panic started…" The tavern keeper shuddered. "You wouldn't think it now, but it used to be the most prosperous town in the area. Some of its residents have fled here to our tiny hamlet."

Oh gods… Haoran…

This was way worse than the woman had expected. Was the astral fissure responsible for the townspeople's transformations? Was Haoran… part of the people that got affected? Did he foolishly went on to deal with the fissure on his own, thinking he was strong enough to face the berserker, if it ever appeared?

No. Trine shook her head. He was capable of looking after himself. After witnessing what she'd done months ago, he wouldn't be this stupid to lose his life this easily.

But what if he was forced to deal with the situation himself?

She swallowed a lump in her dry throat.

"I hear the area around Yangguang is teeming with mad townsfolk who butcher anyone they can find." The tavern keeper gazed at them with a serious look. "I say this for your own safety: turn back."

Mitsurugi gave her a confident smirk. "Your concern is appreciated, but my friend here has no intention of turning tail." He glanced at his companion. "Isn't that right?"

Trine only nodded. The uneasiness in her stomach swelled. She could see the growing worry of the tavern keeper, but she had to endure the pain. "We have an important matters in Yangguang, and even if the situation is dire, time isn't nice to wait for us."

She had to harness the power of the fissure before it's too late.

"I see. I can't convince you two, can I?" The tavern keeper frowned.

Mitsurugi grinned. "You don't have to worry. With the two of us, we can even deal with the mad townsfolk!"

Their voices suddenly became an incoherent mess as she saw her vision darkening. No, she couldn't lose it here, not now. She felt chills down her spine, but the tavern was warm. She felt too weary, as if someone was boring gaze behind her back. She glanced back at Mitsurugi, who was reassuring the tavern keeper with a confident smile.

The headache must had been too great to bear right now.

* * *

"She has come. Just as I expected…" He spoke in a neutral tone, but deep inside, he felt the excitement settling on his stomach. Trine was alive and well, and was now about to pursue the next Astral Fissure.

"Because of the Astral Fissure, I assume. How should we respond?" Dion asked.

Groh heard Natalie took a step forward. "It is too soon to act." He glanced at the two of them. "Stay your hand."

Natalie scowled at him. "She may be Azwel's creature and you say we should merely stand by?!"

Groh breathed through his nose. His subordinate was right, but she was too rash. Way too rash. He would not permit her to lay a single finger on Trine.

"You disapprove of my decision?"

Dion glanced at the two of them with a worried look. For some reason, Sir Groh and Natalie had been butting heads way too often. They should have the same conclusion, with Natalie's intelligence complementing the analytical mind of Sir Groh, and yet…

"Tracking Azwel is our priority." His voice remained smooth, remained calm. He glanced back at Trine, who appeared to be ready to leave. "Besides, she seems to be heading to Yangguang. We can assess the threat there."

"Understood." Dion could see his superior's logic there. If they apprehended the person of interest now, they would cause more ruckus than necessary.

Natalie nodded without any objections. "...Very well."

Groh watched her leave the tavern with another man. So, she journey with companions that had different goals. Seeing as it was, he felt his heart at ease.

* * *

The road to Yangguang had been long. Days of endless walking, consuming their supplies and resting on the ground had affected her morale greatly. How long would it take them to reach Yangguang? She needed the power before it's too late… Before it's too late to save Haoran and the rest…

"Are you okay?" Mitsurugi placed his hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "You look terrible…"

"I'm alright… I'll be fine." She gently removed his hand to ease his worry. "Let's continue on."

Mitsurugi nodded his head.

Another moment of silence, and the night was closing in. Trine didn't find an ointment that would help relieve the pain in her head. She cursed herself for missing out on asking Haoran to give her one if he consents.

"Well, Yangguang isn't much farther. We can rest when we get there." He swept his gaze on the road ahead, watching any sign of odd movement. He held up his hand, preventing Trine to move further. "Hmm? What's that?"

There was a man running towards them. He came from the direction of the town. Judging from his scream of help, he was terrified.

"He's gonna kill me! Help!" He cried out in fear. "I don't want to die!"

They quickly drew their blades, about to run towards the man to aid help. Suddenly, a dark figure loomed behind the defenseless man. He moved with preternatural speed, and before they knew it, he struck his weapon down on the man, killing him.

The figure glanced at them, a growl emerging from his lips. Waves of fury and bloodlust sent a sickening chill down her spine. Blood covered his tattered clothes, and there was no doubt that the bulging muscles on his body came from becoming a malfested. She tightened her grip on her weapon. Her body trembled. There was no hint of a smile on his lips, nor a calm demeanor that felt familiar to her. The more he stared at the malfested standing a distance away from them, the more she finally realized who he was.

The malfested growled. "You…"

Mitsurugi shifted on his place, already on his battle stance. In response, a mad grin broke across his face. He raised his weapon and placed it near his face, licking the blood of the victim he killed. The malfested gazed back at Trine, staring long and hard. He quickly turned his back on them and ran back to Yangguang.

"So that's one of these mad townsfolk, huh?" Mitsurugi's voice was filled with rage. "Vicious."

The body of the man was still on the ground, taunting her. This was real, she'd just witnessed a man die right before her eyes. This was different from the people she'd slain with her hands; it was either kill or be killed, and talking was not an option. This was done by a monster, a _malfested_, a… _stone-hearted killer_.

Her breathing became erratic, the grip of her weapon slackened. Her dual sabers dropped with a loud clang.

Mitsurugi's face was suddenly in her vision. Both of his hands were on her shoulders, slightly shaking her awake. "What's wrong?"

Despite that, his voice softened.

Eyes wide, Trine faced Mitsurugi. With trembling lips, she swallowed the lump in her throat. "That mad townsfolk, that man…"

The grip of his hands tightened on his shoulders. "C'mon, Trine. Take a deep breath. Speak slowly."

In, out. In, and out. As oxygen breathed back in her lungs, the woman closed her eyes. Gods, Maxi…

Her eyes opened, fresh tears ready to leak out. "He was… Haoran."

* * *

Notes:

The timeline I'd build up and the timeline the canon has actually conflicted that I have to divert from the canon in order to make it work. I brought the old timeline for Mitsurugi so he will have a better character than the canon we have on the new timeline. Here's hoping I did him justice.

The game didn't add much recollection from both Maxi and Haoran, so with my free liberties, I made sure Trine would always keep her friends in the back of her mind.

Like the previous chapter, I have to cut this thing in half. :^)


	11. A Promise Broken

What he expected was a nuisance that was easy to deal with. He knew about the disturbance lately, but that didn't stop him from his journey on hunting the legendary sword, Soul Edge. He was unsure whether he encountered the likes of a madman like his new companion, as it was not on his thoughts from that moment. His goal was to seek the legendary sword, while pitting against the strongest warriors along the way.

He took a step back to give her more room to breathe-a moment to get a hold of herself, to calm herself down. It was clear that the madman who fled the scene was familiar to her, with how teary-eyed she was now as she kept saying his name, with an obvious strain in her voice. It was a complete opposite of who she was the first time he met her-how she was confident yet stayed grounded to not come off as arrogant or condescending. He guessed even the strongest of people would crumble into pieces once they saw someone they know turn into a merciless monster.

He had his moments, but he moved on from that pain a long time ago.

Mitsurugi watched her quickly rub her eyes with her shaking hands to compose herself. She was failing, however, as her eyes were still wide from shock. He took hold of her shoulders and squeezed them, knowing that he was probably invading her personal space with how little the distance between them right now, but urgency was rising due to the place they were currently at right now. And the forest with no sign of a living soul was not the best place to let it all out.

"Trine, c'mon. Get a hold of yourself. If you wanna cry your eyes out, this isn't the place right now. We _have_ to move, or else we'll be ambushed by those merciless madmen if we stay here any longer."

His sharp tone and the slight shaking he did to her was enough to finally calm her down. Taking another round of deep breath, she started to talk. Trine told him how she knew Haoran, explaining his involvement with her and Maxi and how they encountered the Astral Fissure, where she dealt with the berserker that emerged from the ominous portal and consumed its power. There were other things she confessed to him, like being brought into this world with no memories aside from her name and her promise, which didn't make any lick of sense.

Mitsurugi saw it in her eyes; it never wavered, her gaze was focused on him, hiding nothing from him. He understood why she kept some things hidden to him at first-they were traveling companions, and he would not believe her story at first hearing, especially the part of consuming the astral fissure to preserve her life. With this in mind, he chose to believe her. Hearing this tale earlier as opposed to now would cause him to laugh and question her mental state.

"Haoran... he probably got surrounded by the malfested, he had to be…" She reasoned with herself. "If he headed off on his own, oh gods…"

"Breathe, Trine. I'd taken everything you'd said." He saw her close her eyes and drew more deep breaths. Mitsurugi wasn't well-versed in comforting people, let alone a woman. The sooner she found her foothold, the better. It would be best to get a move on _now, _ but for her sake, he would give her as much time she needed to regain her composure. "I can see that you wish to help him. However, that may not be possible at this point."

He saw her face flinching, but she spoke no words. He knew he was being blunt, but beating around the bush was not his style. He watched her stare at him with a gloomy expression.

"I have fought many warriors in my time, so I can tell: he gloried in that kill."

"No..." Her voice above whisper, Trine clenched her fists as she closed her eyes.

"If he's that far gone, I doubt we'll be able to reason with him." He paused for a moment, glancing at her. She seemed to be calmer now, with her breathing back to a normal pace. "He might be beyond our help at this rate as well."

_Many malfested lose all sense of reason, become violent, and attack people._

Zasalamel's words perfectly described the state of Haoran.

_Astral fissures exude a massive amount of force that will either destroy anyone weak who dares approach it, or turn them into a malfested._

Haoran _definitely_ encountered one. That was the only logical explanation. She doubted that the malfested raided his home; he was a capable warrior, and he wouldn't be alone. They would easily dispose of the malfesteds.

Gods... Why, Haoran?

Why did you have to meet this cruel fate?

Trine covered her face with both her palms, and exhaled a long breath.

As he gave her all the time she needed, Mitsurugi made sure to keep his guard up and observe his surroundings. A moment later, he could hear footsteps coming closer. As he turned to look at the source of the noise, he saw a young man approaching them. He looked normal, with smooth skin and bright, brown eyes. Seeing as he posed no harm, he relaxed his shoulders.

"Excuse me, miss..."

Trine moved her palms away from her face and glanced at the newcomer. "Yes?"

"Do you..." He carefully chose his words to say next. "Know my brother by any chance?"

"Brother...? Do you mean...?" Blinking, she saw his bright green top. Glancing down and back up, she saw this man had the look of a martial artist to him. Observing his face, she finally found the similarities with Haoran. "You are..."

"My name's Haoyu." He bowed his head with a pained look. "That murderer... Haoran, he's my brother."

"Hmm?" Mitsurugi crossed his arms.

"Oh gods, you're safe..." She breathed, but her moment of respite was quickly stolen. Haoyu may be safe, but Haoran wasn't.

Haoyu knelt down next to the corpse of the man from town. He bowed his head as he closed his eyes. "He's become something terrible..." He stayed there, moving his hand in a certain motion as he muttered a silent prayer. After he was done, he slowly stood up and faced them. "Yangguang is fraught with danger. Come with me."

Mitsurugi and Trine faced each other. With their eyes making contact, they both nodded.

He turned to Haoyu. "So, about your brother…" He trailed off once he saw him flinch.

"I tried, but I couldn't stop him..." He grunted, clutching his right side. There was no sign of bloodstain on his clothes, but there was no doubt Haoyu was injured. "So, I have a favor I need to ask you, Trine."

Her eyes widened, but soon relaxed. Haoran probably shared his adventures with him, reminiscing the journey with her, him and Maxi and the bond that they forged along the way. She met his request with a stern face. "What is it, Haoyu?"

"If you said Yangguang is fraught with danger, we're better off discussing it in a safer place." Mitsurugi butted in, urging the two of them to move. "Who knows when he will come back, and we're in no state to face him now."

Her companion was right. Trine glanced at Haoyu to see him nod.

* * *

Yangguang... This side of town felt more like a ghost town than a bustling city she would expect. To think there were still patrons residing even after the outbreak... Where else would they go? It seemed like they had no choice but to stay here.

They took refuge at a nearby shop, but it was closed. They stood under the shade the shop's roof provided.

Haoyu provided them the status of the town. There were still people residing in their homes, counting on their luck to be safe until this was all over. They didn't know when this would end, but with nowhere else to go and the nearby town already filled with the needy, they had no choice but to lay low.

He bowed his head in apology. "Please forgive me for interrupting your journey."

"It's alright, Haoyu." Trine mustered a small smile, reassuring the man that it was alright. "I'm thankful that you're safe, and that's a huge relief." She paused, her cheeriness fading, and took a long breath. "But Haoran... What happened to him?"

"After my brother returned from his journey, he..." Haoyu sighed, then shook his head. "How can I explain it...?"

"Take your time, Haoyu." Mitsurugi nodded his head in understanding. "Just tell us what you can share with us."

Nodding back, he drew a weary breath. "It all began when he volunteered to inspect an unusual rift that had appeared."

That unusual rift... Trine swallowed the sudden lump in her throat. No, oh gods, no...

She felt her head shake in its own accord. The two took notice, with Haoyu pursing his lips. Mitsurugi signaled with his head to continue.

"Apparently, he'd seen something similar on his travels. That was where everything started to go wrong."

There was no doubt: the rift was an astral fissure. This was the second time he took the job of dealing with something similar, the first one he was unaware of the source of the problem. Did Haoran think he was strong enough to handle it on his own? Because of his journey with her and Maxi?

Haoyu saw her face growing more pale. He bowed his head, feeling the pain of recalling the events that turned his brother to... this.

"With each passing day, my brother began acting stranger and stranger... He started to speak crudely and grew needlessly violent. Then one day, he just... left." He clenched his fists, releasing a deep breath. "We trained together all the time, but I was too scared to do anything at first..."

Mitsurugi hummed, understanding his place. It was foolish to be a hero and do something that would just cost his life. Was he that stupid and too caught up in his act of bravado to think this through? He exhaled through his nose, choosing to leave this thought alone.

"After that..." Haoyu heaved out another sigh then shook his head. "Well, you saw it for yourself. He became a monster." He turned his head towards the sky, watching the clouds drift without worries from the monsters plaguing the town. "Soon, many others became like Haoran, and they began slaughtering each other. However, none could match my brother's martial prowess..." He paused, then glanced back at them. "I never thought I'd see his training used for such evil..."

"No, he never used his training to murder..." Trine reasoned more to herself than him, then shook his head. "He turned into a malfested, he just lost his reasoning!"

Haoyu flinched while Mitsurugi only stared at her.

Silence took over them. No one was able to respond from her outburst. Trine averted her gaze away from them.

There _had_ to be a way to save Haoran...

"Trine..."

She glanced back at Haoyu, seeing his face filled with determination. Her face softened.

"I practically worshipped my brother. He was always so noble, kind and strong. He would help anybody who needed it, without hesitation."

The woman felt fresh tears streaming down her cheek. "I agree." She nodded her head, wiping the tears from her cheek.. "For the short weeks we'd journeyed together, Haoran was a good man. He truly was..."

Mitsurugi kept his mouth shut, opting to listen to their conversation.. He didn't encounter Haoran in his journey, and he only knew him through the stories of Trine. But one thing's for sure, he believed them. He believed that Haoran was in fact a good man, who was driven mad by whatever the hell he did out there.

Haoyu closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them. "That's why I wish to stop him now."

Trine furrowed her brows, bracing for the worse. "What do you wish me to do...?

Haoyu stared at her straight in the eye, then bowed his head. A long breath escaped his lips. "I beg you... kill him. End his suffering."

The words she didn't want to hear... Reasoning with him was pointless; there was no proof of bringing Haoran back from his senses. She'd slain malfesteds without a second doubt.

Without a second doubt...

She shook her head. Images of slaying a malfested clouded her mind, but she chose to push them away. Haoyu's wish was her priority. Trine had to do it in his place; he was hindered from fighting properly. Whatever his injuries were, there was no doubt a wound that would worsen should he continue to fight longer. To see him possess a strong will power was inspiring, but to think he was more than ready to mercy kill his brother...

"Haoyu, are you sure about this?" Trine knew this was a useless question, she knew, and yet she couldn't stop herself from asking. "Can Haoran be saved?"

"No." One word, but it held a lot of weight. Inside her mind, wisp of incoherent words reeled in. She kept ignoring it, focusing on listening to Haoyu instead. "I searched hard for another way, be it through medicine magic-anything. But every road led to failure, and nothing I could do to help."

Trine had to accept this truth, no matter how hard it was to swallow.

"None in Yangguang who suffered the same fate as my brother could be brought back either..."

The reality was grim, but Haoyu accepted it with a strong resolve. If there were really no other way...

"There... may still be a way."

There was a glimmer on her eyes. "What is it?"

"In Ling-Sheng Su, where my brother and I studied, people spoke of a legendary old man who may know how to resist this evil." Predicting what she would ask next, his face fell, knowing he would greatly let her down. "The stories about him were always vague... It was close to wishful thinking at this point. And besides, it would take many days simply to reach the temple..."

"...Is that so..." It was all she could say.

Haoyu fell silent.

It seemed like... This was the only way… Trine looked away from him.

"None of this is easy for me... However, if nothing is done, Yangguang will become a ghost town."

It wasn't easy for her either. She knew that he was in more pain, to see someone who he idolized, his own beloved brother, turn into a husk of his former self... This feeling, it felt familiar, but why?

"My brother's sins are already too many..." He raised his head, seeing her face him again. "If he were in my position, he'd do the same."

There was no doubt he would. That was how kind Haoran was.

"Alright... I'll end this." There was no waver in her voice. "For everyone's sake, and to place his soul at peace."

Haoyu breathed deeply, and closed his eyes again. "Thank you again for agreeing to help. It must be fate for a friend of my brother to show up during these dark times."

Trine could only nod. Seeing how full and strong his resolve was, it reminded her of the future she would face, the decisions she should choose on what may lie ahead...

Right now, she would choose to end him. Haoran had fallen victim to malfestation, and the only way to solve this was his death.

But was it really the true way? Trine couldn't help clinging to that hope that maybe there was indeed another way. She knew she would still attempt to reason with him, and perhaps this time, he would listen.

* * *

Haoyu led them into the forest where he said he would find Haoran. The trees provided shade that hid the sun from view, effectively making the environment darker. Ahead was a wide, empty space, with hints of disturbance from being occupied.. Haoyu stopped in his tracks then faced them.

"Here... This is where my brother and I used to train."

Trine nodded her head, her mind focused on the eerie vibes she was feeling. The forest was quiet, there were no signs of cicadas flying across the sky, but there was no doubt, they were being trailed. She turned to the left, following her hunch, then gazed intently at the shadows.

A low growl could be heard. "You came..."

Haoran stepped out from the shadows, his red eyes glowed with intensity. The grip on his weapon tightened as he pointed his finger towards Trine. "Draw your weapon..." As he brought his hand back from his side, he went to his battle stance. "I thirst... for blood..."

Trine noticed his breathing was erratic. He was no more, but a hungry beast with an insatiable bloodlust. Trine tightened the grip on her own blade, as she was sure he was ready to attack at any moment.

"Haoran! Stop all of this already, please!" Haoyu begged with all his might, his voice filled with palpable desperation to bring some sense back into his brother.

"Haoyu?" The furrow on his brow deepened. "Give it up. You cannot stop me."

"I'll do the stopping." Trine stepped closer to him, giving ample distances to keep them away from harm. Her face softened as she glanced back at him with a frown. "Haoran... What happened out there? How could a kind warrior like you lose control and turn into this...?" She motioned her hand. "How could you let the evil consume your soul...?"

Hearing those words, Haoran froze. Trine flinched at the sight, realizing that he still had some human emotion remaining inside him, and how her words cut him deep.

"Haoran..."

"Nnngh... guh!" Haoran's body trembled as he clutched his head. Growling, he steadied himself and faced her. "I may have looked like a decent human being… But I always knew…" He raised his hand against his chest. "That was not so…" He shook his head. "A dark shadow dwelled in my heart."

A dark shadow? This was more than just ravings of a madman. Trine swallowed the lump in her throat. If what he was saying was true, then…

She saw his lips curl into a smug smirk. She chewed her lip.

"I trained my body and my mind… to keep the darkness within from escaping… Nngghh…"

She readied herself, the knuckles on her hand turning white as she kept a strong grip on the hilt of her blade.

"But the stronger I became, the stronger the conflict within me grew." He gritted his teeth. "Why did I seek strength? Why? Why…!?"

_Why do you want to get stronger?_

The same question she had for herself. Why did she seek strength as well? Was there a looming darkness within too? Had she encountered the same rift and turned into one, and then managed to come back here in this world? So many questions, yet not much answers...

Haoran leaned back and let out a terrifying howl. He swung his staff in front of her, ready to fight whoever opposed him. "I knew why… Why I sought strength." A mad grin broke on his face. "Do you think of yourself as a true warrior…? Then prove it to me…" He dashed forward, his weapon trailing behind. "Show me the darkness that lurks inside you!"

Trine gritted her teeth. Those words were just pure mockery, but it felt like it truly held weight. She raised her dual sabers in front of her, uncharacteristic of her usual style. From there, she steadied herself, placing all of her weight on her feet.

She promised to get this done. All she had to do was to bring his soul in peace. It would be easy, as she was a competent fighter, and yet…

...She couldn't bring herself to swing her blade in retaliation.

Haoran thrusted his staff towards her, but it was blocked by her dual sabers. He quickly ducked down to sweep his right leg, aiming to trip her. Trine merely took a step back and raised her swords again.

"Why won't… you show yourself?!" He let out a roar and swung his staff downward. Trine defended herself with her weapon, repelling his weight with her own. Haoran retreated, then tried again, only to be faced with a defensive response.

If she kept this up, she would run out of stamina from stalling for time.

"What the hell was she doing?!" Wasn't her task was to defeat this creature and get it over with?! Mitsurugi was about to move, but then he heard a bestial growl that didn't come from Haoran.

"Oh no…" There was no doubt. The bright red eyes emerging from the shadows... "I thought they were already slain..." Haoyu took a step back then drew his sword. "I can still fight them. I can't let them attack Trine from behind."

Mitsurugi raised his hand against Haoyu, his gaze never leaving on the fight ahead. "Don't. You're in no shape to fight right now." He drew his own sword and went on his battle stance. "Just stay close to me and know when to keep your distance. Clear?"

Haoyu opened his mouth to protest, but with the sudden surge of pain coming from his wound, he yielded. He must not push himself too hard. "I understand." Haoyu sheathed his weapon. "Thank you."

Already, two malfested were running towards their direction. Mitsurugi took a few steps forward, sword held with both hands. As the malfested raised their weapons to attack, Mitsurugi released a battle cry. In a flash, he was already behind them, his sword held out to the side. He stood up straight then swung his sword, sheathing it. The malfesteds fell to the ground.

Trine deflected another strike of his staff, her eyes never leaving his sight. The Haoran she was fighting right now wasn't the Haoran Maxi challenged to a spar. Gathering her will to fight back, she drew a deep breath. The malfested charged right at her direction, his staff aimed to swing to her torso. Trine sidestepped to the right then delivered a slash to his torso, marring his skin with a fresh wound. Haoran growled, then readied himself. He held his staff right hand, positioned beside him, while she held both hilts of her dual sabers, ready to deliver another swing. She stepped forward and delivered a sideward slash against his exposed back, the impact bringing him down towards his knees.

She gave him no time to recover as she delivered a high jump kick, flunging him towards the ground. Wasting no more time, Trine ran towards him to deliver various slashes of her dual sabers, each hit accompanied with grunts of her own. With a pained moan, Haoran fell towards the ground, with no sign of standing back up again.

The woman pinched the bridge of her nose. Her head throbbed so hard, her vision was spinning. She wasn't sure if this was coming from an adrenaline rush, or because of the influence of the Astral Chaos. There was no time for thinking, she had to deliver the final blow now.

Mitsurugi kept deflecting their strikes as he delivered a slash of his own. He weaved in and out from each of one of them unscathed, his eyes glancing back and forth between Haoyu and Trine. He flicked his sword, watching the ground sullied with the color red. Confident that there were no more malfesteds looming around, he sheathed his blade and checked up on Haoyu.

Trine gazed down at her defeated enemy. If she took Haoran's life, the tragedy will finally end, but Haoyu will have to suffer from the pain of losing his dear brother. It was the only way after all.

She raised her weapon, the tip pointing towards Haoran, but she couldn't bring it down. No matter how much she tried, her arms were frozen in place.

She couldn't.

No, she couldn't do it. Even if Haoran groaned and stood, she couldn't move her arms. Trine heard Misturugi scream her name, but she was frozen.

She promised Haoyu to do this in his place.

But she couldn't.

Haoran raised his staff, aiming to maim her head, but Trine managed to jump back in the nick of time. She quickly shimmied to the side, weaving out from another strike, as she came close towards him. Trine delivered a sharp rap to his head, the impact was enough to knock him unconscious.

"Haoran…!" She turned around to see it was Haoyu, his voice was filled with pain, so much pain. Trine lost her grip on her weapon and fell to her knees, her breathing becoming ragged. Despite everything, she couldn't bring herself to kill him. She couldn't afford to give him up just like that. She couldn't. She wanted to journey with him one day alongside Maxi, the three of them sailing by sea, admiring the horizon together.

Trine heard their footsteps coming closer. As she looked up, she saw Haoyu's face. He was worried for her.

"Trine…"

The tears flowed down-she was unable to hold it back anymore. "As long as there is hope, I have to try to save him, Haoyu."

His eyes widened, then soon softened. Her words pierced through his resolve, crumbling it down. There was nothing he could say to her-he could only stare at her, his lips lopsided from understanding.

"I can't kill him, even if he was a malfested…" She wiped the corner of her eyes, but it didn't stop her from crying. "I have to try… I have to save him. No matter how long it will take, how hard the obstacles that blocked my path, there's still hope…" She placed her hand near Haoran's neck, feeling his pulse beat faintly.

Mitsurugi knelt down, and knowing what to do next, he carried Haoran behind his back. "We can't stay here any longer. Let's go back."

It was enough to give her the strength to move her, to push on. Reaching for her weapon, she stood up and sheathed her blades. Haoyu placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently. She glanced back at him and gave him a smile she could muster.

"I hope you understand my decision, Haoyu…"

He nodded his head. "I do." He looked back on his brother, a ghostly smile gracing his lips. "If you can bring him to the Ling-Sheng Su temple and find the legendary old man… I will be most grateful."

* * *

They arrived back in Yangguang safely. Haoran didn't seem like he would wake up for now, his breathing was slow and deep. They took refuge in their home-Haoyu's home and Haoran, as it was already night. It wasn't a large house, but it was enough to accomodate the two of them, the strangers in their home. Haoyu granted her to sleep in his late parents' room, as it was the only room available aside from one guest room where Mitsurugi will reside. He wanted Haoran to be left in his own room until it was time for Trine to go.

Mitsurugi suggested discussing what they would do tomorrow, as everyone was exhausted both physically and mentally. Haoyu took the initiative to start the preparations for her journey to Ling-Sheng Su, offering her some spare rations for her to take on her journey, and tomorrow morning he would see the state of Yangguang. The samurai took the initiative of keeping an eye on Haoran until then, since he would be strong enough to fight back if he managed to break through the binding of the rope around his body.

That was a few hours ago. Lying in her bed, Trine still couldn't sleep. Haoran's ramblings were still on her mind, as she kept pondering and pondering about the reason why she wanted to be stronger.

The ever-familiar feeling of dread as she swam on her thoughts alone at night.

Trine rose from the bed. She glanced at the window, staring at the peaceful night sky.

The familiar feeling while fighting him… She needed to focus on it before it disappeared. She leaned back against the wall, her eyes open as to not fall asleep. Chasing the familiar feeling, understanding it, and accepting the memories laid in front of her. Her hand reached up to twirl a strand of hair between her fingertips, thinking, thinking, replaying the battle inside her head.

Seeking strength, the sudden deja vu…

These were important for her to remember, to fully understand her previous goal before losing her life, then bringing herself back here. Tomorrow would be another long day, and now was the time to get another piece of her to grasp.

Trine drew a long breath.

The wounds she received, time healed them but never disappeared. She felt her palm, but she couldn't recall the pain from back then. She accepted the fact that even if she undressed and felt the wound from her left arm, she wouldn't recall anything.

Her fingers continued to trace around her wounded palm until something crashed inside her head. A sudden intrusive thought that weighed everything down on her. A heavy load that buried her deep.

The image flashed in front of her. Trine killed her own brother.

The guilt she carried after all this time burst forth. It was overwhelming. It shook her, made her stare at nothing with wide eyes, made her breathing erratic she needed more room to breathe. She killed her brother, but why?

Why would she do that-

There was a knock on the door.

Trine gasped, bringing herself back, bringing her senses back. Shaking her head, she yelled. "Who is it?"

"It's me, Haoyu." There was a long pause. "If you were awakened, I'm truly sorry. I just… needed someone to talk to, about my brother."

She swung her legs to the ground, fixing her top. "Give me a few moments. I'll let you in."

* * *

Inside the room she resided, there was a small coffee table near the balcony door. Their parents were unfortunately slain by cruel men-this pushed both Haoran and Haoyu to be stronger, so they could protect the people who couldn't defend themselves.

"Thank you very much for sparing my brother." Haoyu bowed his head. "Even though I was prepared for the worst… You still spared him his life." He raised his head. "Haoran's still unconscious, but he is breathing. That alone is giving me relief, but at the same time… If he wakes up…"

Trine pursed her lips.

"Mitsurugi tied a rope around him so he wouldn't be able to cause any more harm." Haoyu paused for a moment. "If I may, why had you spared him?"

Trine blinked, then turned her face away. "I had a familiar feeling when fighting him."

"A familiar feeling?"

"Yes." She faced him. "It made me _not_ fight him. There was a nagging feeling that if I did kill him, I would regret it for the rest of my life, just like that day long ago…"

Haoyu ushered her to go on.

"I couldn't recall it back then. I kept trying to remember, to understand my inability to slay him. With that and my stubborn feelings that Haoran can be saved, I decided to spare him." She drew a long breath, appreciating his patience. "When I couldn't sleep, I decided to dig deep inside my mind, to understand what I'm feeling."

"Have you found it?"

"Barely." A small smile curled on her lips. "I remembered killing my own brother. Like him, he was a _malfested_…?" She trailed off once those words came out automatically.

"Trine?" Haoyu creased his brows. Her eyes were wide from a sudden realization, and if his assumptions were right…

"Sig… was a malfested, huh…" Pain trickled on her voice, but a bittersweet smile formed on her lips. She closed her eyes and nodded her head, accepting the pain and regret she was feeling. If her hands were already spilled with his blood, it was to defend herself, to defend _everyone else_ in town. It was all clear now.

Trine opened her eyes and faced him. "I killed my brother, Sig, because he turned into a malfested." The pain disappeared, and her voice became softer. "I'm not sure if the rift already existed, but one thing's for sure: the evil was already spreading. Malfesteds killed my father, and now my brother. In turn, my father saved me before he turned into one, and after that… I have to put an end to my brother's pain."

She drew another breath. "After that, I realized not all malfesteds are blinded beasts. If they can speak and fight against themselves, they must be saved. That's why I didn't kill Haoran: he recognized us, but the evil was consuming his soul."

Haoyu understood her and her reasons. "Most of the townsfolk only craved blood, and not once did they act like my brother. I see now…"

"I'll find the legendary old man and seek his help."

Haoyu gave her a smile. "Yes. I trust my brother under your care."

He really did, after everything she did to Haoran. This was enough to ease the doubts inside him, and to fully believe this stranger that was Haoran's friend, his treasured friend.

Haoyu excused himself so he could sleep. Trine thanked him for talking to her, to which he returned the same feeling. As Haoyu returned to his room, a certain thought lingered in her mind.

His brother's cherished one, whose name she can never recall, was the one who saved her when Sig was about to slice her head off. He, too, was a malfested, but he retained his sanity. Trine turned around and leaned back against the door, tears finally leaking out. She was saved by the monsters she eliminated without a second thought, and from that point on, she would try to reason with them, to see if they could be saved.

The woman was positive she never encountered someone like him until now.

"To find the legendary old man…" She would have a lot of preparations to do tomorrow.

Then it dawned on her; Maxi hadn't arrived in Yangguang yet.

What was making him arrive later than sooner?

* * *

Morning had greeted her. Trine left the room to see Mitsurugi standing nearby the door, his arms crossed and his brows furrowed.

"Mitsurugi?"

He turned to face her. "I asked around, seeing as they were surveying the town. I asked them if there will be a ferry that can bring me back to Japan, but none were willing to go back to work until they were sure the catastrophe was over. Until then, I have to stay around unless someone deals with the rift."

She nodded. The epidemic wasn't over yet just because they managed to stop him. The Astral Fissure was still out there, waiting for her. "Where's Haoran?"

"Still unconscious. He didn't move in his place, which was a relief."

"And Haoyu?"

"He said he would ask around and gather as much as he could. He should be back soon."

The door swung open revealing Haoyu. Mitsurugi faced him.

"What did you find?"

"The rift is close to where we are now. If someone deals with it, everything should start going back to normal, but…"

"But?"

"Not everyone would be willing to move on and accept there would be no more bloodshed." Haoyu shook his head. "Yangguang would be quarantined until further notice. We can't travel north, but we are free to head south, as the nearby town was unharmed from the epidemic."

"Tsk." Mitsurugi shook his head. "I need to head north so I head back to Japan."

"And up north is where we will find the temple." Trine trudged toward the door. "I'm going to deal with the rift."

"Alone? Are you mad?" Mitsurugi placed his hand on her shoulder, stopping her from her tracks. "What if you're the next Haoran? I can't let you go alone."

"And I can't befall harm from you two anymore." Trine glanced back at him with a reassuring smile. "The Astral Fissure is not an ordinary rift you can just waltz by. I know how to deal with them, I'll be back." She removed his hand from her shoulder. "Look out for Haoran for me."

She didn't look back as she started to run, even if Mitsurugi cried out for her.

Haoyu stared at the direction she went, even after her presence was gone. "Are you sure we can just leave her be? It is rather dangerous…"

"You stay here and check on your brother. I'll pursue her." Mitsurugi scowled. "...I'm just hoping she didn't go that far."

* * *

Trine wasn't sure if she was prepared for the journey ahead, but she would worry about it once she dealt with the Astral Fissure. If she headed to Ling-Sheng Su now, it meant giving up on the fissure. But if she didn't deal with it right now, the harm would never stop, and people will be forever traumatized by the events.

A sharp pain throbbed on her head. Trine almost tripped on her feet as she felt her head throb more and more. She stopped in her tracks and rubbed her had been too long since she last absorbed the power of the fissure. She needed to find it now, or find a way to ease the pain in her head.

"What do you intend to do with the outsider?"

The voice didn't come from either Mitsurugi or Haoyu.

Swiftly, she drew her blade, facing _him._ The man in black.

The man with gray hair, the same hair in her dream.

Someone that _should_ be familiar to her.

"Why do you care?" Hostility bled into her words. She readied her battle stance, ignoring the continuous headache she was experiencing.

The question startled him. It was so unlike her to be angry… But then again, he was unaware of what she was experiencing. He shook his head. "Do I need any reason, Trine?"

A faint gasp escaped her lips. Did he just say her name? Trine glowered at him. "If you're here to stop me, then you're foolish to think I'll reason with you. En garde!" With a battle cry, she rushed towards him, weapon raised to strike.

On that moment, he saw her with a smile, eyes sparkling with joy. A playful tone of the same words she'd spoken.

Groh drew his blades, blocking her attack. It was so like her to talk with her blades. Through the clashes of steel was how they could communicate if they couldn't express it with words. He always found the idea peculiar, but if that was what she wanted to do, so be it. He would not hold anything back.

_If you're here to stop me, then you're foolish to think I'll reason with you! _She would let out an amused laugh, then ready her stance. _C'mon, let's make our weapon talk!_

The situation he was in right now wasn't the same as from the first time they sparred. Her eyes were red, evidence of her crying in pain. His lips curled into a frown. He was unable to hold her, as she was somewhere far away.

Both of them took a step back. Trine yelled with all her might, weapons aimed to slash his torso. Groh deflected her attack and delivered a kick to her side.

"You are in no condition to fight. Cease this at once."

"Never!" Trine stood up, her face filled with determination to defeat him.

She was really stubborn, and it was one of the many reasons why he loved her.

Their blades clashed, and another strike ended with them blocking every single move. Trine's moves were way too aggressive-she was unable to control her spiking emotions. Groh swung his blades with all his might, clashing his blades against her own. The impact made her dual sabers flew to the air, leaving her stunned as her hands were held high. Her dual sabers landed behind her, and then he relaxed his stance.

Trine stared back at him with wide eyes. Seeing as his stoic demeanor never changed, she fell down to her knees. She just… lost to him.

She was more confused about herself than her defeat. Next thing she knew, she was battling with blinded fury, rage from being unable to know him. Now that the adrenaline had gone, here she was, staring at the ground. She knew why she lost, but to lash out on him and suddenly get aggressive?

She was frustrated. Frustrated she couldn't remember who he really was, and why he was not helping her remember him.

The woman saw him knelt down in front of her. His hand reached out and cupped her cheek, guiding her to face him.

She frowned at him. "Who are you, really…?"

"That is not for you to know." _Because you should know_. He wanted to say that, but he held himself back.

"Why?" She whispered. "Why won't you tell me?"

Groh took a sharp breath in his nose, then averted his gaze away from her. "...You really cannot remember?"

"What…?"

He faced her. "Have you been going on with lost memories?"

"Yes." Her eyes gazed at his hand, realizing how cold his hand was. "I'd remembered a few, and decided to forget the rest." She stared back at him. "All this time, I still wanted to know the person I hold dear, someone who I loved, and left him to seek more strength…" Her face fell. "I still haven't found my answers…"

"Trine…" He was unable to stop himself anymore. His hand brushed past her hair, tucking the strands behind her ear. No words came afterwards-he didn't know how to comfort her.

Tentatively, her hand reached up and cupped his hand. Trine closed her eyes, relishing the warmth that stirred inside her.

A welcoming warmth, the one she wanted to feel for so long...

"It has to be you." She opened her eyes, her smile filled with mirth. "Am I wrong…?"

He caressed her cheek with his thumb, his face softening. "You have to remember my name…"

"In time, I will." She spoke more to herself.

Trine flung herself towards him, and he caught her in his arms. Groh sat down on the ground as he brought her closer against him, holding her close, bringing her his warmth. This time, he would give himself time to be in her presence again.

He missed her dearly, and there were so many things to say, but… He had a duty to do, and she had a journey on her own.

Fate was always so cruel. He never intended to give in to his feelings, but he couldn't control himself anymore. His mission was always the top priority, and he would finish it no matter what.

Groh leaned in to breathe in her scent. He felt her burying her face further in his chest. "Just a few minutes." He muttered.

She nodded her head. "I know."

"I apologize for my harshness." He was so cold when they first met. He _had_ to act like that to not alarm his subordinates, and he was sure she understood, but hurting her was the last thing he wanted to do. Especially after she was back here in his life, even if there were some things that were left unknown about her.

"I understand." Trine wrapped her arms around him. "You're always a serious yet a simple man. That is what I can remember from you."

"You are not wrong."

She leaned back, facing him with a small smile. "I know you came here for a reason."

Groh pulled her back against him, his arm wrapped around her waist. "Let us forget about the world a moment more." His other hand reached up and caressed her hair.

Trine closed her eyes again as his familiar warmth drowned the pain and regrets away. "Yes..."

* * *

Notes:

\- I deliberately steered away from canon so I can give both Haoyu _and_ Mitsurugi more role than what they were given in canon. Also, sticking close to the canon timeframe just doesn't make sense? So I took the liberty and wrote this.

\- Even if Trine still couldn't remember Groh's name, it's about time they actually reunited properly and just… give in to their pining. It took them eleven chapters to finally hug… poor them.

\- Also fun fact: the ending was not what I was planning to write all along. Groh took my hand and directed the ending, since the original was Trine would be focused on Haoran's condition more, and Groh will hold her once the deal had been done. I like this ending better, so I stuck with it.


	12. Window of Time

**Author's Note: **Thinking that this story won't be given much attention on AO3 considering a good amount of Groh x OC stories existing out there, I'm forever grateful that you all proved to me otherwise-here in Fanfiction, I always thought no one will pick this up because this isn't a Yuri Smut galore like the popular fics here. And yet, y'all took the time to read and favorite it as well. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

* * *

Their time together, albeit short, was the best thing to happen in his life. He leaned back and brushed the strand of hair away from her face. To see her again, to etch her smile and etch it inside his mind, it was enough for him to just remember, especially if his mission proved to be stressful for someone like him.

She was here, she was breathing, she was _alive_.

No goodbyes exchanged on that fateful day, where it would be the last time he would see her, as she promised to come back.

And today, she kept it.

Trine pulled herself back, ending their warm embrace. She stood up, her hand pulling him along her. A bittersweet smile surfaced on her lips as fresh tears were ready to dry from her cheeks.

"As much as I want to be with you forever, I have some things to take care of."

Groh nodded, his face morphing back to his stoic demeanor. "The outsider. What will you do to him?" Despite that, his voice remained soft.

"I'm heading to Ling-Seng Shu Temple and find the legendary old man." She took a deep breath, then shifted her gaze on her right. "The journey is going to be long, and I don't know if I can subdue Haoran until I find him."

"I see."

Trine glanced back at him. To think that even if she couldn't remember who he was yet, he was here, trying to help her feel the same warmth she cherished years ago.

Tentatively, she took a step forward. She eyed him, seeing as he didn't move any inch in his place. As the distance between them was mere inches away, she raised her arms to the side, a small smile on her lips.

Even if their time was nearing to a close, that didn't mean they were forbidden to share intimacy before they head to their separate ways.

Groh accepted her invitation. Another tight hug, in the middle of nowhere, where no one would disturb their peace. If only for another moment, if only to hold her forever and give her the strength to push on, he would do it.

But his mission was his top priority.

And she had her own agenda as well.

A task she took when it came to the outsider.

That was just like her; always ready to lend a helping hand.

Groh took out something from his pockets and presented it to her. "This is a medicine that will temporarily suppress the evil gnawing at the heart of the outsider."

He saw eyes went wide in disbelief. He couldn't blame her, not after everything she'd been through, where he couldn't observe her.

The arm that was wrapped around her tightened. "I will give this to you without any price to pay… if you agree to meet me at a place of my choosing after finishing your task."

Trine glanced back at him. "Can Haoran be saved?" She was hopeful, hoping that this medicine may as well turn him back to normal. But when she saw him shake his head, her face fell.

"This medicine will only temporarily suppress the evil temporarily. It cannot restore this outsider to what he once was."

"Is that so…"

Groh leaned his head against her. "I apologize for giving you false hope."

"No, it's not your fault." With her right hand, she reached up and brushed her knuckle against his cheek. "I'll see if the legendary old man can help me save him, then I will head to the place where we will meet again."

Groh nodded.

Yes, they would meet again. This encounter wouldn't be the last.

"When you have done what you must do, head west to Kroraina. You'll find a ruined castle. What you seek lies there."

It should be another Astral Fissure. Groh was kind enough to guide her to the next one.

"Oh…" He narrowed his eyes. "And come alone."

Trine couldn't keep herself from smirking. "Do I sense jealousy from you?"

"Nonsense, woman." Groh cleared his throat, dropping her tease. "But understand this; you are not the only one who seeks it. There are others as well. I suggest you make haste, but…"

"But?"

"Before you head to your destination, go southeast. Travel by sea, and you should find a village where the Wind Deity resides."

Trine crossed her arms. "Is it worth it to head back there?"

"It is up to you." The arm that held her moved up to caress her hair. "I am suggesting this because you are clearly in pain, and the road ahead will be long. I do not want to find out that you have fallen."

"I see." A smile curled on her lips. Always checking up on her-

Always checking up on her, huh…

Something about that fact made the wheels in her head whirled in motion, as if to remember something important, but since her time with Groh was running out, she ignored it for now.

"If this will help me, even temporarily, I'll go."

"Good." He ushered her to take the medicine. "We may separate for, but know that even if I hold my mission as my utmost priority, I care for you as well."

Trine took the medicine and stored it from her bag. "Will this mean you'll take care of the Astral Fissure around here?"

"Yes."

Trine nodded her head.. "If that's the case, then I understand. I'll travel south and find the village."

Groh nodded back. He knew it was his time to leave, but… He closed his eyes and sighed. It would have to do.

"You know we'll meet again." Her voice wisped across the darkness.

Groh opened his eyes to see her face, to remember her smile until they reunite soon, on the place he instructed her to go.

"I will miss you." He spoke softly.

"I'll miss you too." She leaned up and planted a soft kiss to his cheek. "'Till we meet again, my simple man."

Groh was the one who pulled away this time. And with those parting words, he vanished. Trine kept her gaze from where he once was, cherishing the lingering warmth that eased her mind and soul.

Alas, with the fate she had, this serenity was short-lived.

"Trine? Trine!"

She glanced at the source of the voice to see Mitsurugi run up towards her. A scowl decorated his face, and judging from the sweat that covered his exposed skin, he was probably lost and asked people around for where she ran off to.

"What the hell were you thinking, going alone like that?! Look, I know you're in a hurry and you're strong, but what if something happened to you without us knowing?!"

Trine took his barrage of worries underneath his relentless yelling without any complaints. After he was done, she bowed her head. "I'm so sorry, Mitsurugi. You're right, I should be more careful from acting without thinking."

Mitsurugi heaved out a deep breath. "Thank the gods you are unharmed. Have you headed to the rift yet?"

She shook her head. "No. Someone already took care of it"

"Someone else?" He creased his brows. "Aren't you supposed to harness its power to not die?"

"That's true, but there's another Astral Fissure up north, but it will be a long travel." Trine tucked the strand of her hair behind her ear. "I have some places to go until then."

"I see." Mitsurugi motioned his head. "Then let's go back to Haoyu. We need to tell him what happened to you."

* * *

The journey back to Haoyu's home was short. Mitsurugi filled in the details to Haoyu, like how the chaos on Yangguang dissipated, but that didn't erase the fear from the townsfolk. He also said he planned to stay here until the ship that will head to Japan was open. Haoyu told them that Haoran was close to stirring awake, which made him anxious as he was handicapped to defend himself, and was also more worried about her than himself.

Trine showed the medicine she got from Groh, explaining its purpose. Haoyu took the initiative to give it to his brother, who was now lulled in a deep, deep slumber.

"What are you planning to do now, Trine?" He was still wounded. He knew Mitsurugi would stay behind and take some jobs to cover the expenses of his trip back home. Considering the fear was still clouding in town, no one was ready to travel that far from the place yet.

The question in particular… was hard to answer. Haoyu was unable to travel far, and it would take many days for him to recover, especially with the situation they were in. Mitsurugi had other plans for himself, no doubt. Trine heaved out a heavy sigh. If only Maxi was here…

Maxi…

Where on earth was he now? Isn't he about to come here in Yangguang, and meet up with her if possible?

"Trine?"

It seems like… Maxi wouldn't be here, huh. She was positive if the pirate arrived here, he would question where she was now.

Leaving those thoughts for now, the woman faced Haoyu. "I have some places to go… Two, to be exact."

She saw their brows burrow in confusion. Trine explained she wanted to visit Hong Yue for two reasons: Master Drona's wish and for her own.

"Hong Yue…" He nodded his head, thinking back of the people he interacted back then. When the image of a graceful young woman that could deflect attacks appeared in his mind, it clicked to him. "Ah." Haoyu smiled at the memory of Hong Yue. "She was a heroic warrior, and taught us a thing or two about defensive techniques. Her home should be nearby."

Trine nodded, remembering Master Drona gave her a map as well. "After that, I'm heading south to visit the Village of the Wind Deity."

"Why do you want to go there?" His brows were creased. "I'm not saying you can't, but… it will take months for you to come back here."

"For… personal reasons." Trine didn't want to alarm them of her potential death if she didn't hurry. "I heard they could ease the pain, so I'm going to try my luck there. It may help me forget about my headache for a while."

"I heard something about them possessing unusual powers, where they can also have the power to dispel evil." Mitsurugi shrugged his shoulders. "They're rumors, so don't take my words into heart."

Dispel evil… The man in black told her there was no cure. The place was in another country, so there was no point bringing Haoran there.

Haoyu nodded. "I wanted to head there myself, but… there would be no boat ready to head there back then. I'm not sure if there are boats there now."

"Can't hurt to try." Trine stood up from her seat.

"So you're leaving." It wasn't a question. Mitsurugi looked at her. "Where are you heading first?"

The obvious choice would be to the west, where Hong Yue resides. But considering the current circumstances…

She needed to find a way to relieve the future headache, even if it was temporarily, just enough to search for the legendary old man.

Trine made her decision. She would first journey south.

"I'll accompany you." Mitsurugi sat up from his seat. "At least I'll know you'll be safe." He turned to Haoyu. "You coming?"

He shook his head. "I'll stay here and recover. Once I'm okay again, do you mind if I visit Hong Yue too?"

"Not at all." Trine turned to Mitsurugi, a cheeky grin gracing her lips. "You coming?"

"Can't hurt to join you two."

* * *

As they headed south, a familiar figure was standing near the docks. It was the merchant with an intimidating aura. Trine stopped in her tracks, knowing fully well who he was.

"Over there, a merchant." She pointed her finger towards the direction of the merchant. "I'm going to ask him if he can help me travel through the sea."

"You know him or something?" Mitsurugi arched his eyebrow as he crossed his arms.

Trine looked back at him with a wry smile. "It's a long story…"

As they headed closer to the merchant, the woman shared her tales with the merchant as short as possible. How she encountered him twice, and feeling the subtle force of trusting this enigmatic man, even if he felt so out of place in this place.

"How could you trust someone like him?"

She couldn't explain, but Trine knew trusting the merchant wasn't a mistake.

They stopped in front of him, and the merchant pulled the hem of his coat, revealing a note inside. "Welcome."

_It is unfortunate, but I cannot help you in your needs. Unless, you are one of the people I know._

"The sword." Trine gave him a smile. "Is it intact?"

"Ah… The stranger." His eyes flickered, then he nodded his head. "It's still safe in my possession. Do you want to take it back?"

"No, but thank you for taking care of my sword."

This was still skeptical for the samurai, but seeing as the merchant seemingly fulfilled his end of the deal with Trine, he would trust him for now. He saw her take a step forward.

"Mr. Merchant, I have a favor to ask you."

"What is it, stranger?"

"I need to travel to the Village of the Wind Deity, which is located in the Philippines." Trine heaved out a small sigh. "Can you bring me there?"

The merchant was silent. He glanced at the horizon with a small nod, then back at Trine. "Anytime, stranger."

"This is where we depart, I assume. Godspeed on your journey, Trine."

"Thank you, Mitsurugi." A small smile formed on her lips. "I don't know when I'll arrive nor return, but I will send a letter when I arrive at my destination. The merchant here shall be able to deliver, right?" She turned to the merchant.

"Hehehehe, stranger. As you please."

"Well, I'll be off, Mitsurugi." She gave him a parting wave.

"Farewell."

Mitsurugi watched her talk to the merchant before leaving the area. Trine will be okay, and if she trusted that dubious merchant, she would be safe.

He had to tell Haoyu later. For now, he would see if he could find work to pass the time.

As Mitsurugi left, Trine was left baffled at the words of the merchant. "A motorboat? And you have one?"

"Yes, stranger. It would seem that in this universe, machinery has not advanced yet. But I seem to possess my arsenals fine, just like in the isolated island some time ago."

"So you're saying…" Trine cupped her chin. "You don't belong here?"

The merchant nodded. "Though it may sound unreal, I feel like I'd been transported here after another stranger moved on to fight his mortal enemy. It was from a simple blink of an eye, and before I knew it, I was here, and you encountered me."

"It does sound strange but…" She shook her head. "I believe you. You'd given me enough reasons to not be afraid of you, and for that, I thank you for being pleasant in my presence."

"The pleasure is all mine, stranger." He bowed his head. "Shall we go?"

"Yes." Trine instinctively gripped on the strap of her pouch. "Let's go to the Village of the Wind Deity."

* * *

It only took them a few hours thanks to the motorboat the merchant had. Trine noticed that the control was on the back of the motor, where the merchant navigated with his hand. There was no need for paddles to row the boat, the boat itself ran on batteries, but the woman was not sure about the overall structure of the boat.

But at least she was now on the island, safe and sound. Standing at the sandy beach, from afar would be where the village was located.

Trine took a deep breath and steeled herself. It was time.

Remembering to let her allies know she arrived without any obstacles, Trine wrote a short letter and gave it to the merchant. "Will you please give it to the same man that accompanied me, if he ever comes back in the same dock?"

"As you wish, stranger." The merchant pocketed the letter. "I will return once I have the letter delivered. We will discuss the payment later."

"Alright. I'll be off, then."

Turning her back on him, Trine headed north, to the steep ground. Once she left the beach, the area was filled with grass, whose blades danced with the wind. The woman looked up to see a hill, and onward she moved. According to Groh, they would be able to relieve her pondering headache, if only temporarily. Mitsurugi said they possessed unusual powers, and now with the merchant words, he heard rumors about the native tribe not accepting any visitors, but since Trine had an important matter, maybe they would entertain her need.

The woman was willing to take the risk.

As she reached the peak, she saw a young woman standing from afar. Her short, silver hair that blew from her head was a sight to behold, as it complemented her darker skin tone. She was facing the sun, her hands raised as if to catch it. With a clench of her fists, Trine took another step and called her attention.

The young woman turned and responded with her call, her voice as clear as a blue sky. Something about her voice was already helping her relax, and seeing as she was gracing a gentle smile, Trine knew that she would thank the man in black once they reunite.

"My name is Plata… I am a Priestess of the Winds in the Village of the Wind Deity…" She paused, the breeze brushing past them. She listened to Trine when she told her her name, she gave her a nod of acknowledgement. "I know you have come from afar… but I'm afraid our village is not accepting guests at present…"

So the merchant's words were true.

"Is that so…" Trine took her time to pick her words carefully. "Can you tell me the reason why?"

Plata averted her gaze away, then lowered her head. "The Last Priestess of the Wind has collapsed… Her life hangs by a thread…"

Trine placed her palm against her mouth. "Oh no…"

"Thus, any that may stir the winds of our village must be turned away…"

"I see…" Feeling the winds slow down as silence hung in the air, Trine tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Who is The Last Priestess of the Winds?"

She looked back at her, but her smile never returned. "Our people worship the winds, and have given birth to a line of priestesses blessed with special powers…" Plata bowed her head as clasped her hands together. "I… am barely fit to call myself one of them…"

Trine creased her brows. "What's wrong, Plata?"

She faced her, her gaze locking onto Trine. "As the generations pass… The mystical abilities of my people weakened… Thus, most of us who were given the Priestess of the Winds only have a fraction of our ancestor's powers… It has been hard to find someone who possesses a greater power than us, and all hope would seem lost…"

Trine nodded her head, giving her the signal to go on.

"One girl, however… has been blessed with unprecedented power… She may be the last true Priestess of the Winds… And so we named her the Last…"

So it wasn't so simple. It was like a miracle for the villagers in this island to have one living soul that managed to receive the powers none couldn't possess.

Plata lowered her face. "But one day the winds from the west brought us terrible portents… and a great affliction befell the Last Priestess." She raised her clasped hands together and held them against her chest. "Now, she lies unconscious, wandering the ways at the brink of death…"

"I'm so sorry to hear that…" Trine lowered her head.

"May I ask you, traveler… did you come from the west…?"

The woman nodded her head. "I'd journeyed through countless places, and with my own reason I came here."

"If you know what happened…" Her voice became soft. "I beg you to tell me…"

Her eyes were locked onto hers. Trine had no doubt she wanted to know about the Evil Seed.

"Yes. I'll tell you everything that I know."

Trine explained as much as she could, detailing the Evil Seed and its causes that wreak havoc in the whole world. She withheld any information about herself for now, as she deemed it as selfish for the time being.

She saw her staring at her with awe. "So it was this Evil Seed…? Even the elders said they had never sensed anything like it before…"

"I don't know when it appeared, but it seemed to happen in 1583. My memory was a blur, since I lost a portion of my memories…"

Plata didn't speak another word. She gazed up to the sky, her eyes filled with dread. Trine let her be, waiting for her to speak again.

The woman glanced to her left, but there was only the horizon that greeted her, not another person near her. In the silence, the loneliness had set in.

She wondered if Maxi made it? Would he search for Haoran, and if he found Haoyu instead of Haoran, how would he react?

When Trine saw Plata looking back at her, she shook the thoughts away.

"Traveler… My duty is to quell the dark spirits… Their powers grow daily since that portentous day…" Her face turned serious. "I must remain, but it is far too dangerous for you to stay here any longer."

Like the sudden flip of the switch, Trine realized that the winds had ceased. She glanced to her right to see the strange noises, only to find hideous, twisted beings were closing in on them. It seemed like they scared the air away.

Trine unsheathed her blades as she took a step forward. "No, I will deal with them."

The monsters were already running up in their direction.

She saw Plata stand beside her, her weapons drawn as well. "It would be rude of me to let you handle all of them… Let's fight them together."

Her lips curled into a smirk. Trine dashed towards the first enemy, her dual sabers already slashing upward. "That's more like it!"

* * *

It didn't take them long until they defeated all of the demons that emerged from the shadows. Even so, the winds were still strong, especially around her.

"Thank you…" She bowed her head, grateful for her assistance. "You are… surprisingly strong."

"You're welcome." Trine placed her hand against her chest. "I'd known how to fight ever since I was a child. You can say fighting has become part of my life." A small chuckle escaped her lips.

Plata didn't smile back at her comment. "And that power…" Her brows furrowed. "The breeze rages around you… Are you somehow connected to the Evil Seed?"

The woman was about to say no, but she realized that may be the case. Being brought back into this world, and how she _used _to be a malfested herself… The fact that she could harness the power of the Astral Fissure didn't suit her having some kind of holy powers as well. Perhaps Plata's abilities as a priestess weren't as modest as she thought, but considering Trine only knew about their existence just now, she supposed it wasn't on par with their standards.

Trine heaved out a deep breath. "It's… a long story, Plata." She was not sure if Plata was interested in hearing her tale.

"Yet…" The priestess relaxed her stance. "The power that flows through you is still pure, unstained by good or evil… Possibility swirls around you."

Trine recalled the scales Zasalamel had given to her. That must be why he gave it to her… To fulfill her quests as she chooses to lean on good or evil.

"I sense that you are not evil." Plata shook her head. "No, not yet."

Not yet, huh… The future wouldn't be bright. Trine hoped when she reunited with the man in black, the path to good would be easier to obtain. Trine knew her late mother's organization may have worked from the shadows, but they did so to protect people from harm. She clenched her fists, and with her earnest gaze at the priestess, she told her why she was here: to temporarily relieve the pain she was feeling and to not give in to the Astral Chaos that wanted to consume her soul.

"Someone I know suggested I pay a visit here, and even if you hadn't done anything yet…" A small smile formed on her lips. "I already feel at ease."

Plata only stared at her. Her eyes closed, and she nodded. "As I said, we are unable to welcome guests at present." Her eyes opened, her lips curling slightly upward. "But should you come to this island again… please, visit us."

Trine nodded her head. "I'll visit again tomorrow." She still hadn't accomplished what she went there just yet.

Plata bowed her head, then she descended from the hill they were in, returning to her village.

This hill would be where they would meet again.

As Trine watched her figure fade away from the shadows, she decided to head back to the beach, where the merchant waited for her.

The afterglow was a treat to see from the horizon. Remembering the same path she took, she saw someone standing nearby. She smiled, as the merchant had indeed returned. Trine ran to him, and the merchant welcomed him with his usual greeting.

"Stranger, I have something to give you." He took out an envelope and handed it to her. "Your companion had replied."

"Thank you." Trine took the letter and read it. The writer was Haoyu, and the both of them understood her long absence for the time being until she headed to Hong Yue. Haoyu also raised a good point on heading to Hong Yue while bringing Haoran along, as both of them will accompany her until they eventually split up. Considering how long she would be gone, it would make more sense than heading back to their home again and worry about waking Haoran up.

The lack of mention about a certain pirate gathering information about Haoran's whereabouts would mean he was still not in Yangguang.

Trine wrote a response to the letter and gave it to the merchant. "I don't need to receive a reply. Can you tell them that?"

The merchant nodded.

The woman glanced back from the path she took. Maybe she would stay at the foot of the hill for the time being, as it provided more shelter than here.

She turned back at the merchant. "What are you going to do?"

The merchant didn't answer. His gaze was still locked on hers.

"I'm going to stay here, and rest near the foot of the hill." She felt the breeze brush past them.

The merchant nodded his head. "Come back anytime."

She raised her brow. Was he going to stay here? Was he going to leave? Trine wanted to ask him, but right now she was unable.

He was still a mystery, like he spoke of being brought here without any reason. The woman decided to leave him be.

* * *

Morning had greeted her without any sign of suffering about her usual nightmare. The woman couldn't remember what she dreamed about, however. Shaking her head, she headed off to the same hill, where the Village of the Wind Deity could be found. As she reached the same peak, she saw Plata standing in the same place. Her eyes were closed, and the winds were gentle around her.

The priestess noticed her presence, and she walked over to her, a smile gracing her lips.

Trine smiled back. "Hello, Plata. How are things?"

"The same as before: listening to the winds' whispers, seeking news of imbalance and great events…"

"I see."

"It is part of my training, and a way to hone my powers as a Priestess of the Winds."

Trine could only smile back. The last time they met, she was able to detect the presence of malevolent spirits. The woman was in awe; these priestesses must have supernatural abilities that could only be located on this island.

"I would love to take you to my village…" The smile on her lips disappeared. "But I have something to ask of you first."

Her face turned serious. "What do you need, Plata?"

The priestess closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Trine waited for her answer, her eyes never leaving their gaze from her. Once Plata exhaled, her eyes opened. In her clear voice, Plata explained that in her village, they were about to hold a "Wind Divination Ritual" in two days. Plata was to perform a sword dance to honor their gods, but she was feeling nervous.

Trine wondered if this would be related to easing the headache she would feel? And how did the man in black know about them? Did he study their village and their rituals? Visited them himself, perhaps? The man she loved was shrouded in mystery, especially with her current semi-amnesiac state.

Plata further explained what the sword dance actually meant for their village; a practical demonstration of one's skills. In two days, she would show everyone what she was capable of. "Our village's style is not just for show, after all."

Trine nodded her head. It was enough for the priestess to continue.

"I can only learn so much when practicing by myself…" A slight tint of pink colored her cheeks. Plata held her hands together. "So I was wondering if you would help me."

Trine saw no harm in helping her practice. "I'll help you. It's better to have a sparring partner than just train alone." She gave her a reassuring smile. "Sometimes, you'll realize your faults more when your partner points it out to you."

A blurry flashback of her mother scolding her for her recklessness played inside her head. Sanna, always with a stoic outlook, but deep inside she cared for her.

As the memory fades, her eyes were greeted by the gentle smile of Plata.

"You really are a good person…"

That cleared up _one _thing… She was glad she was on good terms with the priestess. The woman saw her took a few steps back.

"Now, let us begin…" Plata spread her arms wide as she closed her eyes. "Winds, hear me! I dedicate this dance to you!"

As if she summoned the breeze, the strength of the wind increased. The winds brushed past us, but it seemed like it surrounded the priestess. Plata drew her elbow blades, a sign that they were about to practice. Trine unsheathed her blades as her gaze locked onto the priestess. With the winds swaying around them, it would be tricky to perform certain moves as her hair may get in the way.

It wouldn't stop Trine from fighting from her best, as she drew the first move; rushing headfirst to Plata, her arms swinging to her left to deliver a slash. The priestess raised her weapon to guard her strikes, the impact forcing her to slide backward. As if the wind was guiding Plata's movement, the priestess delivered a strike on her shoulder.

Trine recoiled from the pain, but seeing as she was about to swing her arms to deliver a slashing hit, the woman thrusted her blades forward, deflecting her elbow blade. When Trine jumped back to add distance between them, the howls of the wind became stronger. The woman raised her dual sabers in front of her, while Plata went back to her battle stance.

A smirk formed on her lips, as the breeze whipped her hair forward, while the bangs on Patra's forehead spread out. "It seems that the wind favored your dance!" She steeled herself as she brought out a full grin. "But we're just getting started!"

Plata couldn't help but smile back. "The winds have approved of your own skills as well, Trine."

With those words exchanged, the two of them ran towards one another, weapons raised, ready to strike. With each attack deflected and delivered, their bodies move in fluid motion. Each of them knew what to do next, a single step would mean another sideward sweep of her dual sabers, and when Plata jumped back as she twisted her right foot in place, she would deliver a forward lunge, her fists gripping tightly on her elbow blades.

This would go on for a few minutes until Plata raised her hands, a sign that their practice was now over. They took a moment to relax, to breathe fresh air in their lungs again, as the howl of the wind calmed down into a gentle breeze. The priestess asked Trine to follow her, and soon they arrived at her village. It was a humble area, with houses made from bamboo sticks and leaves. The air was cooler than the top of the hill, and from the far horizon stood a tall mountain from afar.

This was a pleasant place.

Plata smiled at her. "Finally, I'm starting to feel confident about the ceremony." She gave her a short bow. "Thank you so much… The winds must have guided you to me…"

Trine shook her head. "No, thank _you _for entertaining my visit. I feel at ease here… and it made me realize how different each country is."

"I am glad to hear that…" Plata glanced back at the village, then turned back to her. "Did I tell you about my cousin, Talim? She's just begun practicing the sword dance… I want to be a good role model for her." A small smile formed on her lips.

"I'm sure you'll be a fantastic role model for her." Trine gave her a wide grin. "With how you battled me from earlier, I'm sure you'll nail the ritual just fine."

Plata's smile widened as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "The ritual is the day after tomorrow… Do come and watch. I'll tell the elders you'll be there."

"I will. I'll see you on the day of the ritual, Plata!"

* * *

Tomorrow would be the day of the ritual. Trine stayed at the same foot of the hill, consuming her rations. She realized she was running low, and would need to resupply once she came back to Haoyu's home. Trine tucked her chin on her knees, her hands clasped onto her legs. She felt terribly lonely-the nights spent with Maxi and Haoran made those unnerving, long nights more bearable. Now, even Mitsurugi's presence would help calm her nerves.

The woman wondered how they were back there. Was Haoyu recovering? Was Mitsurugi doing something to pass the time? Was he not in trouble? Did he get _into _trouble?

There was something about him that spelled trouble.

The thought alone made her smile. Even though she was not as close with him like with Maxi and Haoran, at least they were on good terms.

Maxi…

Where are you now?

* * *

Fulfilling her promise, she ventured to the village, where Plata was about to perform her Wind Ritual. Trine found it as a rather simple affair, but the event showed how devoted the villagers were to their faith. Various decorations surrounded the place, and the torches held the burning red flame. The woman went towards the front row, excusing herself so she could navigate without disrupting the ritual.

Trine saw Plata walking alone into the center of a makeshift ring, and as the noises died down, the dance began. She watched her move on the ring, noting how beautiful she was as the breeze brushed past her skin, and how graceful she swung her blades. Her weapon sang through the air, whipping up a breeze around her. Trine felt relaxed, as if the worries that clumped up inside her heart drifted with the wind.

When the dance was coming to an end, Plata's moves were subtle-she sent a gust of fresh wind in her direction. Trine felt the wind swirl around her before fading into the distance.

There was something about this wind that meant more than just a simple move on Plata's part.

The ritual ended shortly after. The woman looked for Plata but she couldn't be found in the village. Knowing where they first met, she headed back to the same hilltop, where it all started. She saw her standing in the same place, but with a forlorn look on her face. Trine called her name as she ran up towards her.

Plata glanced down, as if she was ashamed of facing her. "Forgive me…"

"What for?" Trine took a step forward. Upon closer inspection, she saw how the priestess's cheeks were wet with tears. "Plata? What's wrong?"

Her hands clutched against her chest. "I'm a Priestess of the Winds… and have much to do before the Last Priestess of the Winds regains her strength… But…" She sniffed softly as she wiped her tears with the back of her hand. "I'm not… strong enough…"

"Plata…" Trine placed her hands on her shoulders gently. She gave them a gentle squeeze. "Plata, you are strong. You'd managed to perform the ritual well, right? It's proof that you have the strength to be the Priestess of the Winds." The woman gave her a warm smile.

The priestess only shook her head softly. "At the end of the sword dance… I sent the wind to you…" Her frown deepened. "It should have cleansed you of all the darkness you bear… But I failed…"

Trine ended up being speechless. She gently wrapped her arms around her, pulling her into a hug. She only told her what she needed to know, with how she had to bear the reverberating headache and the same nightmare that shook her awake. Considering her abilities to hear the wind, the woman concluded that the priestess already knew what she was going through-she was a person who had to choose between good or evil, someone who treaded on the path of light, someone who gave the priestess a push to perform her ritual and be the best role model for her cousin.

The woman felt her own tears forming as well. "It's okay…" She spoke that to herself as well. "Even if you can't cleanse the evil within me, it's okay…"

Plata wiped the corner of her eyes as she still refused to face her. "I wanted to lessen your burden…"

Those words alone made her heart skip a beat.

Trine glanced back to see her trying to regain her composure. She gave her shoulders another squeeze. "Thank you for helping me as much as you can, Plata…" She closed her eyes, choosing to keep her own tears from flowing. "I truly mean that."

When the priestess calmed down, Trine pulled away from her. She saw the sun had begun to set, slowly turning the hill into a glorious mirage of red and orange. She felt her lips curl upward-once this was all over, she would visit this island again.

She glanced back at Plata, who seemed to be fine now. The priestess was staring back at her, without any hint of shame in her eyes.

"Thank you for coming to watch the ritual, Trine…"

"The pleasure is all mine, Plata."

The priestess formed a small smile. "If you visit again, I'll introduce you to Talim…"

She nodded her head. "I'll remember that, Plata. And thank you, again." Trine placed her hand against her chest. "You helped me feel at ease, with your ability to feel and control the wind. I'll be ready for my long journey ahead."

Plata bowed her head. "May you be safe, Trine. Until we meet again…"

Trine watched her smile back at her, the gust of wind gentle as the breeze brushed past them. Plata turned around to leave, to return to her home, while Trine headed back back down to the foot of the mountain. Her steps were slow, as she stared at the scenery, wanting to remember this beautiful place and etch it inside her mind.

* * *

The woman returned to the same beach where the enigmatic merchant waited. Once he felt her presence, he nodded his head. "Welcome."

"It's time to go back, Mr. Merchant. My quest is finished here."

"Understood, stranger."

As she sat down on the motorboat, Trine glanced back at the island, where the hill resided. Her gaze never left the same place, watching it fade away from the distance. The ride back to Yangguang was silent, with only the motorboat's motor and the clash of the boat against the waves of the ocean the source of the noise. Trine took out the scales Zasalamel had given to her. It still leaned towards the side of good. She glanced back at the direction of the island, remembering how Plata did her best to ease her burden.

The priestess may have failed on cleansing her soul from evil, but it was enough that she tried, and she was forever grateful for that.

* * *

Notes:

\- Sorry for cutting out the fight scenes. I am still not confident with them and I would need to read stories that feature a fight scene.

\- This is my attempt at squeezing in side stories like this to the main plot, while trying to make sure they make sense in canon. I'm sure I'll have to divert from the canon with the quest to visit Hong Yue and others, but I hope it won't deter the flow of the story.

\- Plata best minor character, and you can't change my mind. Haoran is a close second, but what Plata tried to do to the Conduit won me over. She's as pure as The Last Priestess of the Winds.


End file.
